Police By Day
by Taliesin-niseilaT
Summary: Gerry and Sandra find each other. But what happens next? Will their relationship influence their work as they try to find out who murdered 18-year-old Julian Swan?
1. New

**NEW**

It was late. Jack and Brian had already gone home. But Gerry was in Sandra's office, celebrating the end of the Phillipson case, hoping that maybe in the rush of celebration... He shook his head. That sort of thing didn't happen with Sandra, the toughest blonde in the Met. He looked at her wide, open-mouthed smile and shrugged the bad feelings away. They'd put away a very dangerous criminal. This was a party. A very private party, with just the two of them. He took the few steps needed to reach her.

'We did it! We did it!'

He was laughing and shouting and pulled her into a hug. She answered it – just this once, what could it hurt? She hadn't felt anything in so long. Let her just feel this, this once. This now. And then he kissed her. Just like that. He meant to kiss her cheek, but she turned her head at just the right (wrong?) time, and their mouths met.

Lightning.

She felt everything in that second. The taste of the wine on his lips. The gentle autumn rain outside. The cheese sandwich he'd had for lunch, which was a slightly sobering thought.

He let her go.

'I'm sorry, Sandra. I didn't mean – I mean – your cheek, not... I'm sorry.'

'It's okay,' she whispered. More than okay. Damn it, she didn't want him to be sorry. And he was so very close, those eyes and his smell, that mix of smoke and flowers (why did he smell of flowers?) and his hair, shining part blonde, part grey. She breathed in deeply.

'Nevermind,' he said. Never mind? I do mind, Gerry, I mind so very much... And then she saw it in his eyes, that he minded too, that she wasn't the only one who had felt the lightning.

'Screw it,' she said, and pulled him back into the embrace. They kissed, longer, better than before. When they released each other, Sandra looked out of the window for lack of a better reaction. She licked her lips.

He observed her doing this. So they'd kissed. And now what?

'Sandra?'

'Yes?' she said.

'How about I take you out to dinner sometime? And when I say sometime, I mean right now.'

'I, erm,' still licking her lips nervously, he noticed, 'I'd like that, Gerry. Yes.'

-

They were sitting opposite each other, sipping white wine, staring at the remainders of dinner. While eating they'd only discussed the Phillipson case. It was safe ground. Safer than remembering. Safer than reminding each other of what had passed between them not an hour ago. But now that dinner was over, they had to decide what was next.

'So.' she said, finally.

'So.' he agreed.

'Where do we go from here?'

_Your flat, I hope_, he thought, but he didn't say it.

'I don't know. It's not too late.' She checked her watch and he laughed.

'I didn't mean _not too late _quite that literally, Sandra.'

'Oh.' She laughed nervously. 'Course you didn't. Not too late what way then?'

'Not too late to pretend it never happened.' Her eyes widened as he said that.

'I don't want to pretend it never happened,' she whispered hoarsely.

'Do you think I do?' he asked rhetorically. 'But it may be for the best. We work together. It's out of the question, right?'

'I'm the boss. I decide what's out of the question.' She smiled as she said it.

'Ah, the power of the Detective Superintendent.' There was a hint of delicious sarcasm in his voice.

'Maybe...' Sandra muttered.

'Maybe?'

'Maybe we should go to my flat, open another bottle of wine and see where this ends.'

'You know where it will end.'

'Yes,' she said. 'I do.' Her eyes were full of sweet promise.


	2. After

**AFTER**

The ceiling was sparkling white, but seemed yellow in the light of morning. He looked at it and smiled. Images from the recent past were flashing through his mind.

_Her hands trembled as she inserted the key into the lock. He steadied her._

'_You okay? Too much wine?'_

'_Too much feelings,' she replied, shaking her head. When they were inside, she sat down on the sofa and gritted her teeth._

'_I don't like feeling things anymore. It just hurts.' He wondered whether this was the wine talking._

_He sat next to her and they stayed silent for a while. He hesitated to make a move. She was vulnerable and showing it. He didn't want to make it worse._

'_Maybe, erm, I should just have some water, no more wine.' He nodded._

'_That's probably wise. I'll get us some.'_

_-_

_They drank a lot of water. Then she looked at him, blue eyes nearly violet in the dimmed light, and asked: 'Gerry?'_

'_Yeah?'_

'_Don't go. Please. Stay.'_

_He swallowed nervously. 'How long?'_

What a silly question, he thought now. How long. _'Forever.' _she'd whispered. And she'd held him so close he was sure she'd never let go.

_Then it had started to rain. They heard the water fall heavily on the skylights. Sandra took his hand and ran with him to the balcony. She flipped the little light that was there on, and they went outside. _

'_Look at it!' she shouted, delighted. The light made the rain white and shiny. 'Look at it, Gerry! It's like a million shooting stars, just for the two of us!' She spread her arms and happily let the rain soak her. He slipped his arm around her waist and laughed with her. 'Sandra, we're getting soaked,' he commented when the rain got even worse. He took a wet strand of her hair and brushed it out of her face._

'_So what?' she said. 'I'm enjoying myself. We'll have a shower when we get back inside.' Beneath the light promise a strange, new future lay hidden. Neither of them had known it would come to this._

He smiled to himself as he wondered what he'd have said to someone who'd had the guts to suggest seven years ago that he'd once find himself in the same bed as Sandra Pullman. He remembered what he had thought of her over the years. How he'd felt dismissive of her in the beginning. Silly woman who shot a dog. How he'd had to change his mind when he saw how tough she was. How he'd come to respect her, consider her a friend. How he felt so protective of her it was nearly suspicious. How he, in time, had come to see her beauty, in the beautiful blonde hair, the bluest eyes he'd ever seen.

How he loved her now.

They'd slept holding hands. He loved the feeling of her soft skin under his. Yet he wondered what would happen when she woke up. Would she be angry? Would she throw him out of her flat- and out of UCOS while she was at it?


	3. Case

**CASE**

In fact, she didn't have time to get used to the idea of waking up next to him. As soon as her eyes opened and he leaned over to whisper 'Good morning, gorgeous,' she smiled, then looked at the clock.

'SHIT! It's twenty-five past nine! We should have been at the office half an hour ago!' They looked at each other for a long moment, then jumped out of the bed and slammed the door of the flat shut behind them not three minutes later.

'Your car or mine?' Gerry asked.

'Actually, I think it might be better if we each take ours... I mean, it'll be suspicious enough as it is, us both arriving late at nearly exactly the same time...'

'Oh yeah, hadn't thought of Jack and Brian. Er... do we tell them?'

'Not unless they ask. We won't lie if they ask. But we won't tell them for the sake of it.'

'Okay,' he nodded, and got in his car.

-

'Sorry I'm late!' Sandra shouted as she came in. Gerry entered a short while after she did. 'Sorry, Sandra.'

'That's okay,' she said, smiling.

'You'll be happy to know,' Brian said, 'that Strickland assigned us a new case.'

'Oh?' Gerry said.

'Enlighten us, Brian.' Sandra gestured to the whiteboard.

'Julian Swan,' Brian started, putting up a picture. It was a tall boy, too thin for his length. A typical teenager, with straight blonde hair and dark brown eyes. 'Born 1982. On the morning of January 4th, 2000, around one AM, he was beaten to death in a back alley. There were no leads. It seemed like a random attack. No fingerprints – the killer wore gloves. No witnesses – nobody was around that time of night.'

'So why come off the hypothesis that it was a random attack?' Jack asked.

'Nothing was taken. He had a good deal of money in his wallet. Why would you attack someone at random, if not to take their money?' Brian replied.

'What else have you got?' Gerry asked.

'Forensics thought the wounds were of an exceptional nature. They gathered that the killer wasn't even that strong, but absolutely furious.'

'Furious? What do you mean?' Sandra said.

'Exactly what I'm saying. The killer was raging mad at Julian Swan. So mad that he, or she, found the strength to kill him. But we're looking for someone who wouldn't have that strength in a normal situation. It was a very strong adrenalin rush.'

'So why attack a random person who is stronger than you?' Sandra asked.

'That's where it becomes real murder, of course.' Brian answered. 'The killer didn't attack at random. They knew what they were doing.'

'But if there's no evidence...' Gerry muttered.

'Well, the original investigating officers never went into Julian's social life, did they? And then Ginny Massen called us.'

'Who's Ginny Massen?'

'Ginny Massen was Julian's girlfriend at the time he was killed. She was interviewed back in 2000, but she didn't know anything about the murder. Only nobody thought to ask her about her relationship with Julian. And that's where it went wrong.'

'Bad relationship?' Sandra assumed.

'Not extremely, but she did say Julian was rather pushy. Impatient. He didn't believe in waiting for anything. Instant gratification type.'

'Wait, are you saying he raped his girlfriend?' Gerry cut in.

'Not Ginny, no. But she knows there's been lots of others... and she doesn't know what he did with them.'

'Shit,' Sandra muttered under her breath.

'So where do we start?' Jack asked.

'Swan's parents, I s'pose. Brian, Gerry, you go through the original case file and Ginny Massen's new statement, see if there's anything the original investigation missed. Jack and I will go see the Swans. Okay?' Everybody nodded. Sandra could feel Gerry's eyes on her back as she left the room. It made her feel slightly uncomfortable. Was this just a one-off thing to him? What if it was? And if it wasn't?

Was it just a one-off thing to her, for that matter?

'Your car or mine?' Jack asked for the second time.

'Eh? What?'

'Sandra,' he laughed, 'is your mind on the case or on a man?' She blinked, surprised he'd bring a man up so soon. 'Never mind, don't answer that question. We'll take my car, alright?' She nodded, grateful he hadn't really asked, just barely hinted at the question.


	4. See Through

**SEE-THROUGH**

Maggy Swan was a mousy fifty-something woman, whose days clearly centered around the Times crossword puzzle, as each and every one of them since the founding of the paper, so it seemed, had been cut out neatly and was stacked by year on bookshelves around the living room. 'Brian'd get a kick out of this,' Sandra muttered to Jack as Mrs Swan was making tea.

'Now, then,' Mrs Swan said, handing each of them a cup of tea, 'why are you reinvestigating Julian's death?' She seemed very calm and rational, not at all like a mother talking about her dead son.

'Well, a new... witness came forward,' Jack said with difficulty.

'Someone saw him _die_?' Mrs Swan shrieked, losing her calm facade in an instant.

'No, but someone told us about Julian when he was alive.'

'What do you mean?' she asked indignantly.

'How did Julian treat his girlfriends, Mrs Swan?' Sandra asked gently.

'He treated them fine. What are you trying to say?'

'Our witness claims that Julian may have sexually abused some of his girlfriends,' Jack stated, matter-of-factly. Mrs Swan seemed to swell up with anger.

'_What?_ That is not true! Julian would never have... who told you that?'

'Ginny Massen,' Jack replied.

'Oh really. Lying Ginny? And you _believe _her?'

'Lying...?'

'She's a compulsive liar. She spent the year before she got together with Julian in a psychiatric hospital. Well, Julian always did like the nutcases,' Mrs Swan finished bitterly.

Jack and Sandra looked at each other, shocked into silence.

-

As they walked back to Jack's car, he said: 'So Julian wasn't a sex criminal.'

'So it seems,' Sandra said vaguely.

Suddenly, Jack looked at her in a very unusual way.

'Did you and Gerry spend the night together?'

The question came as a complete surprise to her. Had they made such a mess of trying to hide it? Blushing furiously, she replied: 'What? What are you talking about?'

'Oh come on. You both arrive over half an hour late, carrying a very suspicious happy glow, you're hardly your usual efficient self, you kept stealing glances at each other back at the office, ...'

'Okay! Okay! I confess!' Sandra said, not looking at him.

'Thought you might.'

'I might what? Confess, or spend the night with him?'

'Both.' Jack smiled.

'It's okay, Sandra. It's none of my business, anyway.'

'I won't let it affect my work, Jack.'

For a moment, he was her boss and she was his subordinate again.

'I know that. It doesn't matter. And for what it's worth - I think you two make a good couple.'

'Thanks, Jack. I, er-' She looked down. But he knew she didn't need to say she was sorry.

'I know.' was the only thing he said.

-

'And?' Brian asked as Sandra and Jack entered the office.

'Ginny Massen lied to us!' Jack complained, throwing his jacket down on his desk frustratedly.

'Brian, check Ginny Massen's hospital records. Focus on psychiatric hospitals.' Sandra ordered.

'Right on it,' he said.

'So what did Mrs Swan say?' Gerry asked.

'She said that _Ginny _is a compulsive liar, who spent a year in a psychiatric hospital!' Jack spat.

'Bloody 'ell,' Gerry muttered.

'_Gotcha!_' Brian exclaimed. They all shot over to Brian's desk. 'She spent the time between February 1998 and February 1999 in Gislin's Psychiatric Hospital in North London.'

'Right!' Sandra said. 'Let's get over there.' She grabbed her jacket.

'You might not want to waste petrol on that, Sandra,' Brian said.

'What?'

'It's not there anymore. Gislin's was closed in 2003. They went bankrupt.'

'Oh, sod.'

'However...' Brian said slowly. 'Aha! The psychiatrist who treated Massen, Dr John Trodat, has now got his own practice. Any volunteers for a traffic jam?'

'Why? Where is it?' Sandra demanded. Brian laughed.

'So glad I haven't got a driving licence. Oxford Street!'


	5. Psyche

**PSYCHE**

'Oxford bloody Street!' Sandra hissed. 'Brian, stop laughing at me.' But she was smiling now, as Brian was clearly enjoying himself in the four o'clock traffic jam.

'I say, Sandra...'

'Hm?'

'You and Gerry, eh?'

'_What?_' She nearly hit the car in front of her. 'Did Jack tell you-'

'He didn't have to. While you were at the Swans' place, Gerry hasn't shut up about you for one minute.'

'Really?' Sandra smiled. 'What did he say?'

'Oh, something vague about how nice you look with your hair all wet... I didn't like to ask, you know.'

'I stood in the rain!' she said indignantly.

'Yeah, I'm sure you did.' She looked at him and they both laughed.

-

'What can I do for you?' the black-haired receptionist asked.

'We'd like to see Dr Trodat,' Sandra said.

'Certainly. I think he may have some time on Thursday week...'

'We'd like to see him _now_, if you don't mind,' Brian said.

'Well, I do mind. You'll have to make an appointment.'

'Maybe I haven't made myself quite clear,' Sandra said, taking her police ID out of her pocket. 'Now can we see him?' The receptionist nodded, clearly irritated. She picked up the phone. 'John? The police are here to see you... I don't know what about, do I? Can I send them in? Alright.' She put the phone down and said 'First door on your right.' Sandra nodded her thanks and headed for Dr Trodat's office. The room was pleasantly fitted out. The walls were painted a peaceful blue and the furniture looked expensive. Sandra could tell she was thinking the same thing that Brian was: the hospital may have gone bankrupt, but Dr Trodat wasn't worse off because of it. He was a middle-aged man, tall, slightly greying at the temples. He didn't seem very friendly. After being introduced, Dr Trodat snarled:

'I hope you didn't drive here in a police car?'

'Oh, we're plain-clothed all round, Dr Trodat,' Sandra replied, smiling unpleasantly. She disliked this man straight away, and she could tell by Brian's reluctant posture that he agreed with her.

'Now, Dr Trodat, we'd like like you to tell us about a girl who was a patient at Gislin's in 1998 and 1999. Ginny Massen,' Brian said.

'Would you indeed,' Dr Trodat said sarcastically, slipping his reading glasses off his nose and studying Brian intently. 'Aren't you a little old to be a copper?'

'I'm not a copper anymore.'

'No, but I am,' Sandra said. 'I'm a Detective Superintendent, actually. So- Ginny Massen.'

'I'm not at liberty to tell you about my patients. Privacy protection and all that. Pretty little cop like you should know that.' Dr Trodat looked her over. _Good thing Gerry's not here, _Sandra thought.

'We can either talk here or at the station, Dr Trodat. Which do you prefer?' she snapped.

'We could probably arrange for a pretty police car to pick you up, couldn't we Sandra?' Brian said.

'Oh, most definitely,' Sandra agreed pleasantly. Then she opened her handbag and handed Dr Trodat a piece of paper. 'Warrant,' she said. 'We gain complete access to Ginny Massen's medical records.'

'Oh, fine then. Massen, let me think. Oh yeah - definitely. She was a knock-out, Ginny Massen was. Lovely brown hair piled elegantly on top of her head. Brilliant blue eyes. God, it's always the gorgeous ones that get troubles in their perfect little heads.' He looked at Sandra as if to say she was probably long overdue for a consultation to see if she had troubles in her perfect little head.

'We didn't come here to listen to your views on women, Dr Trodat,' Sandra said irritatedly.

'Suit yourself, pretty,' Dr Trodat answered, drawling. Brian felt Sandra stiffen, about to lecture Dr Trodat on what exactly she was going to do to him if he called her that one more time. He put a hand on her arm, willing her to stay calm. Dr Trodat grinned arrogantly, clearly enjoying the situation.

'Gotta keep your boss in check lest she lose her temper, huh?'

'You had better tell us what we want to know _very soon,_' Sandra snapped.

'Right then. Ginny Massen was a compulsive liar. I presume that's what you want to know about?'

'You presume correctly. Now tell us,' said Brian.

'She lied out of habit. It was her hobby, so to speak. She did it all the time. When she first started lying, she had reasons to. It kept her out of trouble.'

'What kind of trouble?' Sandra inquired.

'Well, her parents were happier when the wild parties she attended became study sessions with her friends.'

'Wild parties?? She was fourteen when she was admitted to Gislin's!' Brian said indignantly.

'Bit behind the times, aren't you, Mr Lane? Anyway, one thing led to another. She started lying about everything. And she couldn't stop anymore. Then she came to Gislin's and she was assigned to me. God, she was gorgeous.'

'Yeah, we've had that part already. Did you cure her?' Sandra demanded, pulling Dr Trodat out of his dreamworld.

'Cure? No. She was beyond saving.'

'Wait, are you saying that you released her from Gislin's but nothing had changed? She was still a compulsive liar? Is that even legal?' Sandra asked, stunned.

'We could hardly keep her in Gislin's for the rest of her life. As far as I know, she's a compulsive liar to this day.'

'Okay. Well, thank you for your... _cooperation_,' Sandra said with difficulty.

'Oh, it was a pleasure.' Dr Trodat winked at her as she and Brian got up.

'Hey, Superintendent. You know what kind of people I've been treating the most over the past year?' Dr Trodat said, grinning.

'What?' Sandra spat. He delivered his final blow with an arrogant smile firmly rooted in place.

'The kind who just discovered the existence of an illegitimate sibling.'


	6. Hurt

**HURT**

'How dare he,' Sandra raged, marching furiously towards her car. 'How dare he? How could he?'

'Sandra?'

'What?'

'How did he know?' She stopped dead in her tracks when Brian asked this.

'Well, well, maybe it was a lucky guess,' Sandra said.

'No,' Brian said. 'He knew what he was saying.'

'Brian, can we please not discuss this?' He looked at her and saw she was on the verge of tears.

'Of course. I'm sorry.'

Sandra got in the car and didn't say a word until they got back to the station.

-

'So how was Dr Trodat?' Jack asked as soon as they entered the office.

'Bastard,' Sandra said.

'Murdering bastard?' Gerry inquired.

'Don't know. Seems a bit of a stretch. After all, Trodat didn't know Julian. Just Ginny. And she didn't get together with him until long after leaving Gislin's,' Sandra reasoned.

'Ah,' said Brian, 'but according to Gislin's old website, upon release each patient will be followed up by their psychiatrist for at least a year. Which means that Ginny must still have been seeing Trodat.'

'Still, we should probably concentrate on Julian,' Jack interceded.

'Yes, but we haven't got any leads. With the sexual motive out of the window...' Sandra shrugged.

'Jealousy!' Brian exclaimed. 'What if an old girlfriend was jealous because Julian was dating Ginny Massen?'

'That's not a bad point, but why kill Julian? Why not kill Ginny Massen?' Gerry asked.

'Maybe we should ask the Swans for the names of Julian's other girlfriends,' Jack suggested.

'Fine, but we'll do that in the morning. Right now, I need a drink. Anyone coming?' Sandra deliberately avoided Gerry's eyes. She didn't want him to think she meant just him. She didn't want him to know what he made her feel. _I'm never going to be his fourth ex-wife, _she had decided this morning while driving to work. _Either it's forever, or it stops right here. _She wasn't sure which she wanted it to be.

-

'Gerry...' Brian muttered as Gerry gave him a lift to the pub.

'Hm?'

'It's best you didn't go with Sandra.'

'What? Why?'

'Um...' Brian hesitated. Gerry looked around and glared at Brian.

'You think I couldn't keep my hands off her during work hours? Is that it?'

'No, Gerry, of course it isn't! It's Trodat. He, well, he treated her like they all do. Those arrogant bastards confronted with a woman who can take care of herself. You know the type.'

'I know the type alright. And I know that Sandra can handle that type, as do you,' Gerry said, not seeing the problem.

'Yeah, only this one was different, Gerry. He really knew what to say. I think he got to her somehow.'

'Got to her?'

'She seemed upset. Hurt.'

'What the hell did he say?'

'He said he often treats people who have just discovered they have an illegitimate sibling.'

'Oh.' Gerry was silent for a while, concentrating on the road. 'Oh, _shit_. Was it random? A guess?'

'No. I don't know how he knew, but he knew. You should probably talk to her.'

'Me?'

'Well, yes, you. You're together, aren't you?'

'I don't know about that, Brian. I don't know... what last night means to her. What she wants. What she feels. We were both a little drunk, and...'

'What do _you _feel, Gerry?'

Gerry smiled. 'When I look at her, I feel... _everything._'

'Then go tell the woman that.'

-

At the pub, Brian bored everybody by reciting the case file to them word for word.

'Esther gets annoyed when I do that at home,' he said, 'so I have to do it here.'

'Why do you have to do it at all, Brian?' Jack sighed.

'Got to keep my memory trained, Jack.'

While Jack and Brian bickered amicably, Gerry kept his eyes on Sandra. The wine wasn't helping, he could tell. She looked sadder with every passing minute. _If I ever get my hands on that so-called doctor..._

'Sandra? You alright?' he asked gently. She shook her head, refusing to look at him. He reached out to put his hand on her arm, but she pulled away.

'Leave it, Gerry,' she muttered crossly.

He wondered why she was taking this out on him. _As if she is. She's just angry at Trodat. And she doesn't want you around to see it. Did you expect her to?_

Jack and Brian had stopped talking and were looking at them now, seeing Gerry reaching out to her and Sandra pulling away. They looked at each other. Sandra got up.

'I'm going home. I'll see you all tomorrow.' _There was too much stress on the all, _Gerry thought. _The all that clearly includes me. _She picked up her handbag and jacket and left. He couldn't move for a full five seconds, until Jack said: 'Well? What are you hanging around here for? Go after her, for crying out loud!'

-

He caught her arm just as she reached to open the door of her car.

'Sandra, we need to talk about what Trodat-'

'Gerry, please... not now.'

He watched her drive away, feeling lonelier than ever.


	7. Disconnect

**DISCONNECT**

Sandra sank down on the sofa with a takeaway meal and a glass of dry white wine.

_Just like the old days, _she thought bitterly while a single tear slid down her cheek.

-

Gerry gazed up at the ceiling. _Same colour as Sandra's jacket, _he thought randomly.

-

Sandra wandered to the balcony, trying not to think of Gerry's arm around her waist when they'd stood here getting soaked, or the way he'd kissed her hair, or the things he'd said to her. The things she'd said back.

-

Gerry made himself a sandwich. A water bottle in the fridge caught his eye. It was a blue bottle. _The smokey blue of Sandra's eyes. Dammit._

-

It wasn't raining now. The stars shone brightly, as if to remind her of Gerry's eyes. It was as if the universe itself mocked her. _You thought you could keep him, but you didn't think you'd be reminded of Tom today. And you didn't think you'd push him away, instead of letting him comfort you._

-

_How stupid of you to think she'd ever let you that close to her. Did you think she'd come running into your arms? Wake up. This is life. This is Sandra Pullman, and you thought you'd be good enough for her?_

-

She was looking for a place that wouldn't remind her of him, but to no avail. The living room, the balcony, the bathroom, the bedroom, everything smelled of him. The kitchen was a reasonably safe area, but it reminded her of the dinner he'd bought her. And of the dinner he most certainly wasn't buying her now. She cast a scathing look on the leftovers from her takeaway. _Why did I have to go and hurt him? If that's what I did. He seemed to care. I just wouldn't listen._

-

_She doesn't need anyone to comfort her. And even if she did – if anyone had a chance of comforting her, it would be Jack. They've known each other for so long._

-

_Where was he now? Could only be one place. Go there? _Sandra looked at the clock. _No. No. Can't disturb people in their homes after eleven. He probably won't mind if the disturbance is me... but... what if he's not alone? Carole. Alison. Jayne. _Thinking of Gerry's wives made ice run through her veins.

-

He lit another cigarette. _I should give it up, really. I bet she'd like me better if I didn't smell of smoke all the time. She might prefer it, when we're kissing. Shut up, Standing, she's kissed you for the last time._

-

_What do I do? _

-

_What do I do?_

-

Sandra took her phone. 'Jack?'

'Sandra? It's after midnight! What's wrong?'

'Jack, I miss him.'

'You're calling the wrong person, Sandra. Call him. _Before _you go mad.'

'But – what if he –'

'He was devastated by the way you froze him out. He cares more than you know, honey. Call him.'

-

'Brian?'

'Gerry, what the hell are you calling _me_ for at this time of the night?'

'I miss her.'

'I repeat my question. Why are you calling me, and not her?'

'I can't. She doesn't want – or need – me around.'

'The hell she doesn't. Now call your woman and let normal people sleep. Goodnight.'

-

The phone buzzed. _Gerry Standing calling, _the display informed her.


	8. Riveting

**RIVETING**

She answered on the third ring. 'Hello,' she said. Was he imagining that or was there a frantic edge to her voice? _Oh, keep dreaming, Standing. You're confusing her leave-me-alone-voice with panic. Then again, if she wants to be left alone, why answer the phone at all?_

'Er, hi. It's me. Gerry.'

'I know.'

'I'm sorry.'

'_You're_ sorry?' He could finally hear emotion in her voice. She was surprised.

'What have you got to be sorry for? I'm the one who was unfair to you. I... can we meet up?'

'Of course we can, Sandra. Er...' Would she think he was hoping for a repeat of last night if he suggested her place? But he didn't want her driving to his house in the middle of the night, especially if she wasn't planning to stay. She took the decision out of his hands.

'Could you come over here? I don't think I'm really good to drive right now...' She sounded choked. Was she crying?

'Of course. Don't worry about it. I'll be there as soon as I can.'

'Thank you,' she whispered.

He grabbed his jacket and his keys and left.

-

She stared at her phone. _Did that really just happen? He's giving you another chance. Don't screw up this time. _Her eyes caught her reflection in the window. _Oh no. I look a fright. _She checked her watch. She had no more than ten minutes. She ran into the bathroom, took her old sweater off and replaced it with a blouse. There was no time to do anything fancy with herself, but she combed her hair, at least. She tried not to look as if she'd been crying her eyes out all night, though this was clearly a waste of effort.

-

She opened the door and stared into his eyes. They were red and swollen, just like hers._ Has he been crying too? No, impossible. He wouldn't. Probably pealed onions for dinner._

'Sandra! I am so, so sorry...'

'No, Gerry! I'm the one who should be sorry - I froze you out, I panicked, the things he said...'

'I should've understood you needed to be alone to-'

'_I _should've understood I don't always _have _to be alone.' She smiled a tentative smile, and the warmth she suddenly radiated was stunning. 'But we do need to talk,' she said.

'I know. Can I come in?' She stepped aside and he entered the flat. He stood very close to her in the tiny hallway. It was so hard to resist touching her now. Her soft skin - perfectly recalled - was beautiful. He reached for her hand and this time she didn't pull away. She led him inside and they sat down on the sofa together, still holding hands.

'Gerry,' she started with difficulty. 'About...' He nodded, urging her to continue. She licked her lips and he was reminded of the other time he'd seen her do this - only a little over twenty-four hours ago, and yet a world away. He had the strong feeling that from now on he'd be dividing his life into _Before _and _After. _'I don't know about you,' she said eventually. 'But to me, that was pretty... pretty amazing.'

'Believe me, Sandra. You're not the only one who felt that.' He smiled, his eyes never leaving hers.

'And, erm, it'd be a pity if we... if we would never feel that again.'

'Yes,' he said, 'that would be a pity.' He lifted his free hand to caress her hair.

'Gerry... can you not touch me right now? It distracts me too much...'

_It distracts you? That is fabulous, _he thought happily, then pulled his hand back and let go of hers.

'Sandra. What happened last night was unexpected, but not unwanted.'

'I noticed,' she said, and they both laughed. Then her expression became serious again.

'It wasn't unwanted for me, either. I don't know for how long, but there have definitely been times when I felt... something. About you.' He took both her hands in his.

'Sandra... I know you'll think I've said this so many times before and God knows you're right- but right here, right now, you mean the world to me.'

Then he kissed her.


	9. Preoccupied

**PREOCCUPIED**

'What are you doing?' Her voice floated in from the living room.

'I'm making you breakfast. So you have a proper meal for a change,' Gerry said, frying eggs and bacon in her kitchen. She wandered in, wearing a white dressing gown, blonde hair dishevelled.

'I have proper meals all the time,' she protested.

'Oh yeah. Sure you do. Then what's that over there?' He pointed to the kitchen sink.

'Err...'

'Back to your old ways when I'm not here to take care of you?' he asked gently, eyeing the empty takeaway tandoori package.

'That, er, that was a one-off.'

'Quite correct. Because from now on I'm going to make sure you're properly fed. Sit down.' She sat down at the kitchen table and tried to think of a witty comeback. It crossed her mind she could say something about his fear of woods, but she decided not to. _Don't want to ruin this moment. _He concentrated on the food, then walked to the window. She joined him there, and they both took in the skyline, and the rising sun. She sought his hand.

'Dawn over London,' he muttered.

'Yes,' she replied. 'Yes.'

-

This time, they greeted Jack and Brian together at the office.

'Oh, hi,' Jack said. 'Call anyone else in the middle of the night, Sandra?'

'You called him?' Gerry asked.

'Yeah, Gerry, next time don't call me,' Brian added casually.

'You called him?' Sandra echoed, smiling crookedly at Gerry.

'What can I say, I was desperate. I was going mad, Sandra.'

'I know _exactly _how you feel. Believe me,' she whispered, looking up at him. Jack coughed deliberately.

'Sandra. Gerry. Police. Murder.'

'I don't like your train of thought, Jack. Make it sound like we did it,' Sandra said. They all laughed at that remark.

'Right, seriously though. What's next?' she said, trying not to smile too much.

'What we said yesterday, I suppose,' Jack said.

'Sorry mate, I really can't remember anything before...' Gerry swallowed the rest of his sentence and laughed when Sandra's warning look clearly collided with the smile on her lips.

'We were going to find Julian's old girlfriends,' Brian said while handing everyone a cup of tea.

'We were?' Gerry asked, only to receive a nudge in the ribs from Sandra. 'Oh, yeah, we were,' he corrected quickly.

'I'll phone Mrs Swan and see what she has to say, alright?' Jack said. 'You two just... drink your tea and try to control yourselves.'

'I don't know what you mean,' Gerry said defensively.

'I'm sure you don't,' Brian muttered.

-

'We have a name,' Jack said as he put down the phone.

'Only one?' Sandra complained.

'Elizabeth Keating. That is the only name Mrs Swan wanted to tell me. She was Julian's last but one girlfriend. They had a six-week relationship, starting in July 1999.'

'Current address?' Brian asked.

'Your guess is as good as mine. Let me check the phone directory.'

'You must live up to his wildest dreams,' Jack said, sounding slightly annoyed.

'What are you talking about?'

'The way he looks at you... the cat's finally got the cream, eh?'

'Jack, why are you acting like this? This isn't like you.' Sandra had trouble concentrating on the road.

'I can see what's happening. You're losing it, both of you.'

'I can do this.'

'Can you? Because I don't think you can. I don't think you can separate work from home anymore.'

'Jack, can you just trust me on this and take it down an octave? We just need to find the right balance, that's all.'

'Oh yeah? And how long before you do?' Sandra suddenly pulled into a car park, determined to resolve this right now.

'Jack, what's really bothering you?'

'I told you-'

'No you didn't. Why are you suddenly so opposed to us being together?'

'I don't want you to get hurt. You know him as well as I do - he's a heartbreaker.'

'Yeah, he is. But if I don't take my chances on this, how will I ever know whether he's going to break my heart too?' Jack sighed and looked away.

'I really appreciate it, you know. That you're so protective of me. But I'm an adult. I'm capable of making my own choices. And I choose to be with Gerry. Now, are we going to go see Elizabeth Keating?'

-

'Elizabeth Keating? I'm Detective Superintendent Pullman. This is Jack Halford.'

'Oh, hi. Why are you here?'

'Can we come in?' The young woman with the wavy, dark brown hair and the small, round glasses lead the way into the parlour.

'Elizabeth...'

'Lizzy, please, call me Lizzy.'

'Lizzy, we're reinvestigating Julian Swan's death.' Lizzy looked shocked. She went pale-white.

'Why?' she whispered.

'Well, the case was never closed,' Jack said gently.

'You _should _close it,' Lizzy said fiercely. 'How will you find the killer after all this time?'

'Oh, you'd be surprised how long ago the murders we solve are, Lizzy. 2000, that's only ten years ago. Everyone's still alive,' replied Sandra.

'Julian isn't,' Lizzy said.

'No, and I'm sorry about that. What can you tell me about him?'

'Nothing much really. He was an ordinary guy. An ideal choice for one's first relationship. He was plain and boring in every way.'

'Well, there must have been _something _remarkable about him!' Jack exclaimed.

'He was charismatic. He knew how to seduce. But that was all, you see? There was nothing about Julian that could make me stay for a long-lasting relationship. Not that it matters now.'

'So is that why you broke up?' Sandra asked.

'Yes. We had nothing in common, really. That's all you want to know, I trust?' _She seems keen to get rid of us, _Jack thought and he could tell Sandra was thinking the same thing.

'Actually, we were wondering whether Julian ever... forced himself on you,' Sandra said. They both watched Lizzy's eyes go wide, and her expression became angry.

'_No he didn't!_' she almost screeched. 'How dare you - how dare you pretend that you knew him-' She took deep breaths and eventually managed to control herself enough to say:

'Julian is in my past. I'm married now. I'm a respectable person.'

'We weren't denying that-'

'I have nothing to tell you. And that's final.'

'Lizzy, if you know anything about-'

'No! No, I don't! You need to leave! Now! Go, please! Go!'

-

'Did you see her react? She was friendly and helpful, until we mentioned Julian. Then she freaked out. Lizzy Keating's got something to hide, Jack.'

'Yes, but whether it's murder...'

'I suppose it does seem unlikely. Hm. Another dead end. How many more before we crack this one?'

'I don't know, Sandra. I don't know.'

They drove back to the office in silence.

-

'Welcome back, you,' Gerry said, darting forward to kiss Sandra's cheek. Jack and Brian exchanged looks and both coughed simultaneously.

'We need to talk to the two of you,' Brian started carefully. They looked at him expectantly.

'Yeah, you see, we're glad you two have kissed and made up, but...' Jack trailed off.

'We're not too sure about your new, sweet attitude,' Brian said.

'In short, we think you should try to... switch the couple act off during work. Sorry.'

'No, that's alright, Jack. You're right. We've been a little... blatantly obvious. I'm truly sorry,' Sandra said softly.

'Okay, well, ... let's just all go home, okay?' Jack said.

-

'It's not going to be easy to do, Gerry,' she muttered. They were standing on the balcony of her flat, his arms around her waist and his chin on her shoulder.

'Police by day, lovers by night. No. That isn't going to be easy to pull off. But we can do it. You and me. Can you trust me, Sandra?' She turned around and pressed her lips to his.

'I've trusted you for longer than I can remember, Gerry.'


	10. Menace

**MENACE**

'Tom? Hi. It's me, Sandra. Your, er, sister.'

Sandra had locked herself up in her office to make this call. She didn't particularly want to speak to Tom, but her visit to Dr Trodat had made it clear that they had some things to sort out. Obviously, Tom wasn't thrilled to hear of his sister either.

'Sandra? What do you want?' His tone verged on rude.

'I think we should... talk sometime.'

'Should we?' His voice was ice-cold.

'Yes. We should,' she insisted.

'Fine. Can you meet me at Gracey's today? I'll buy you dinner.' The change was so sudden Sandra's head spun. First he practically told her to get lost, now he wanted to buy her dinner?

'Er, yes, that would be nice. Thank you. I'll be there at seven, is that okay?'

'Yes. See you.'

'Bye, Tom.' She put the receiver down and considered his behaviour for a minute. Then she shrugged. A light knock on the door distracted her. She called 'Yes?' and smiled as Gerry entered.

'I just wanted to ask... I'm making curry tonight, and I was wondering whether you'd like to join me?' Sandra sighed. 'I'd love to, but I... I just called Tom. I'm going out to dinner with him. We need to sort some things out. You know... Trodat.' She was scared he'd get angry, but Gerry just nodded.

'No problem. I understand.'

'Thank you. I'll come to your place as soon as I can, okay?'

'I'd like that,' he smiled.

-

Gracey's was not exactly the trendiest place in town; in fact it hardly counted as a restaurant at all, offering simple, traditional English food. The interior was plain, as good as boring, and reminded her strangely of a 1970s sitcom about a failed department store. Did she imagine that or did the tall, distinguished waiter look familiar to her too? She shook her head and decided to study the menu, chalked on a blackboard in small, elegant handwriting, instead. The dishes were even more traditional than the board by the door promised. Shepherd's pie, steak, rissoles, a pilchard salad, egg and chips. And for dessert Baked Alaska, crêpe Suzette, or blancmange.

-

'Sandra,' Tom greeted coolly. _Back to the ice king. I wish he'd decide what his mood is once and for all._

'Tom,' she answered, disapproval dripping out of her voice. He pulled back the chair opposite her and sat down. 'Okay, before you say anything else,' he started. She pulled up her eyebrows questioningly.

'I don't really _mean _to be bad-tempered. I don't take pleasure from being nasty to you. But I know that I will be like that, because I don't know how else to react to all this. If I hurt you, though, that's not intentional. I'll... _try _to be good.' She didn't have time to answer him, because this was the time a middle-aged waitress with the most shockingly red hair Sandra had ever seen chose to appear next to their table. 'May I take your order?' she asked. Tom gestured Sandra should go first.

'I'll have the pilchard salad, please. And a glass of dry white wine.'

'And for you, sir?'

'The Lancashire hotpot, and a beer.' _Very good, _Sandra thought. _Picking his drink with care to make sure it's not the same as mine._

'All right. Before you start, I want to say something too. I think you should know the reason I called you. There's a case I'm working on... we had to speak to a psychiatrist. And he... mentioned you. He said he often treated people who had found out they had an illegitimate sibling.'

To her surprise, Tom laughed. 'Trodat.'

'You know him?'

'He's my shrink.'

'You've been... seeing Trodat? As your doctor? _Why?_'

'Oh, do you want a recap, Sandra? I saw my mother die. I was nearly strangled. I saw my - our - father kill. I was abandoned. I was adopted and ended up killing the man who was like a father to me. And then, as if all that wasn't enough, then I discover _ you_ - my practically perfect half-sister the Detective Super, come to arrest me.'

'None of that was my fault,' she replied harshly.

'I know.' The look in his eyes softened. 'But that doesn't change anything. I had to talk about all this to someone.'

'But _Trodat_ of all people? I mean, let us be honest... he's a total shit.'

'He is, but he's also cheap. And somehow he helped.'

'You mentioned my name.'

'Yes. He must have recognised you from the picture...'

'The _picture? _What picture?' she snarled. He reached inside his pocket and handed her a picture. It was a few years old. She was in it, laughing with Gerry, Jack and Brian. She vaguely remembered Strickland taking that picture at a Met party.

'Where did you get this?'

'It was on the ground of the living room, the day you... arrested my mother for killing dad.' Sandra blinked, remembering how she had sat there, letting Julia Eldridge tell her what had happened... she must have had the picture in her pocket, it must have fallen out...

'I picked it up, maybe I shouldn't have kept it, but... it was the only picture of you I had. I didn't want to want it... but I did.'

She nodded slowly. 'It doesn't matter. It's just a picture. It's good to have that cleared up, at any rate.'

-

Gerry was looking at pictures. He missed Sandra, and he was nervous, not knowing what time she would arrive, if she was coming at all. So he had gotten the photo album out he had carefully started when he joined UCOS. In the beginning, there were mostly photographs of the team. Somehow, Sandra was always central to these pictures. _Well, she's the only blonde in the team... no, that doesn't cover it._ _It's because she's who we revolve around. It's as if we're a tiny universe, the four of us, and she's our sun. We follow her lead. _

Throughout the years, more individual pictures of Sandra turned up. Sandra in his garden, Sandra sitting on the floor, Sandra on a sofa he didn't recognise... how had he managed to find all these pictures? _Have I subconsciously been collecting these? Has she given them to me? _He smiled. _Well, good job, either way. They're beautiful. Almost as good as having her here. _He traced the line of her hair on an image where she wore a stunning dress.

-

The sudden ring of his phone made him jump.

'Hello?'

'Gerry? It's me. Is it alright if I come over now?' She sounded slightly upset.

'Yes, of course it is. Are you all right?'

'Not really... tell you about it when I get there, okay?'

'Yeah.'

-

'How was Tom?' Sandra just sighed.

'Hey, come on. Do you want a drink?' She nodded. As soon as she'd drunk some wine, she started to talk.

'It was a total mess, Gerry. I really get the feeling he hates me for this. If we hadn't gone digging his mother wouldn't have gone to prison... taking the blame for him, no less... and he had a picture of me... of all of us...'

'Picture?' Gerry asked.

'Yes, the four of us. He found it the day I went to his house... and we arrested Julia Eldridge... I must have had it in my pocket. It must have fallen out... I don't remember any of it. I certainly never missed it.'

-

'God, I've had enough... I just want to sleep.'

'I know, honey, I know. Come on. Come upstairs.' He half-carried her to his bedroom and laid her gently on the bed.

'Where you going?' she mumbled when he tried to steal out of the room. 'Can't sleep unless you're here,' she begged, holding her hand out for him, sounding tired but her eyes clear and alert.

'Okay, but then can I just go turn the lights off downstairs? I won't be long.'

-

That night, he just held her until she finally fell asleep.


	11. Torn

**TORN**

His finger ghosted across her cheekbone.

'Sandra, darling? Wake up.'

'Mm?' she mumbled, disorientedly. 'Gerry...' She was still half asleep.

'Yes, I'm here. You need to wake up.'

'Don't want to wake up... why... dream...'

'Dream?' he repeated.

'You... hurt...' Her eyes shot open. 'You were hurt. Someone had hurt you.' She was wide awake now.

'Honey, don't worry. You're not awake yet. I'll get you some coffee, okay?' She nodded, still dazed from the shockingly vivid dream.

-

_She was held hostage along with Gerry while Brian tried to negotiate with the armed murderer, Billy. He pointed the gun at Sandra. Gerry almost lost it._

'_Move and she dies,' Billy snarled at Gerry._

'_NO!' he screamed, jumping forward, trying to knock the gun out of Billy's hands._

_The gun went off. _

_Sandra watched Gerry fall, almost in slow motion. She heard a piercing scream but didn't realise she was the one screaming. 'NO! NO, GERRY!' she cried out. 'Gerry! Gerry! Gerry...'_

-

She looked puzzled as she was thinking over her dream. She'd had this nightmare before, but something was different today. She wasn't just angry and sad because of the murderer. There was a strange, new edge to her thoughts. The way she had felt so fiercely protective of Gerry was unlike anything else she'd ever experienced.

-

'Do you want to tell me about your dream?' Gerry came in and sat down on the bed, handing Sandra a cup of coffee.

'Gerry... you remember last year? Shadow show...' He went quite pale.

'Of course I remember. We nearly got killed.'

'Yes... that's what my dream is about. Only this time, no happy ending... I've dreamt this often, and every time it ends with you getting shot...' she whispered.

'But that's just... fear. It doesn't mean anything. Right?'

'I guess...'

'Come on, drink your coffee. It'll help.' Sandra took a sip, closed her eyes and sighed.

-

'So, where do we stand?' Jack asked.

'Well...' Sandra said. 'We know that Julian Swan is presumably not a sex criminal, since Ginny Massen lies about everything, apparently.'

'We know that Julian's mother is certainly convinced Julian was a nice boy,' Brian added.

'We know that Lizzy Keating thought Julian was plain and boring,' Gerry said.

'Ah, yes, but we also know that she's actually hiding something, we just don't know what,' Jack reminded them.

'Basically we know that this case is impossible!' Sandra exclaimed. Brian and Jack frowned. It wasn't like her to give up a case like this. They were usually the ones convincing _her_ to take some time off and do something outside of work. She grabbed the case file and went into her office, slamming the door.

'What's up with her?' Brian wondered.

'I think I've got a pretty good idea,' Gerry said. 'I'll go talk to her.'

He knocked on the door and cracked it open carefully. 'Sandra? Can I come in?' She was sitting at her desk, staring at the case file though it was obvious she wasn't actually reading it. 'Yes, of course,' she said softly. She didn't look at him.

'It's your dream, isn't it?' he asked. Sandra nodded. 'What scares you so much about it?'

'Something happening to you...' she whispered. 'I couldn't stand it, I couldn't live with it if...' He pulled her into a hug. 'Nothing's going to happen, sweetie. I'll be fine. You can watch over me every minute, day and night, if you like.' She smiled slightly. 'It'll be alright. I promise. I'd kiss you to prove it, but unfortunately Jack will kill me if I do that at work.'

'Yes, and I'll bet he's watching,' Sandra said, sounding much more like her normal self. Gerry checked out of the corner of his eyes and said 'Indeed he is.'

-

It was lunchtime. The four of them had spent the morning going over the case file and repeating the same things, not seeing a way out in this case. Jack had gone out to get lunch, Brian was eating a sandwich at his desk and Sandra was still locked in her office. Gerry was standing in front of the window, thinking about her, as usual. He recalled Sandra's panic about her dream. Had her bad night had anything to do with her failed conversation with Tom? He checked on Sandra, who was in her office eating a sandwich and still going through case files. On impulse, he took his jacket, shouted to Brian he was going out for lunch, and drove to Tom Eldridge's office.

-

He told Tom Eldridge's secretary he wanted to speak to Tom on police business. She sent him through.

'What can I do for you – oh. Sandra's colleague, aren't you?' Tom said, his voice cold.

'Yes, I am, and I'm not here on police business.'

'Oh? What personal business could you have with me?'

'You better treat her right, Eldridge.'

'You're sleeping with her, aren't you?' It was more of a statement than a true question.

'So what if I am?' Gerry snapped.

'It should be me telling you to treat my sister right.'

'Oh, no, it shouldn't! Not if I've known her for seven years and she didn't even know you existed until last year!' Tom didn't react.

'Either treat her with a bit of respect, or leave her alone!' Gerry looked at Tom, then left his office, hoping the message had got through.

-

'I thought you'd gone out to have lunch?'

'Yeah, I did,' said Gerry, showing Brian the bacon sandwich in his hand, and walking over to put the kettle on for a cup of tea to go with it.

'It took you an hour just to buy a sandwich and not even eat it?'

Gerry gritted his teeth. 'I had to see to something first.'

'Like what?'

'Never you mind! Where are Jack and Sandra?'

'They went to interview Mrs Swan again. They were desperate for any hint of a solution.'

'Didn't bloody get it, though,' Jack said crossly as he came in.

'Julian was just your ordinary perfect guy. No one had any reason to kill him,' Sandra said agitatedly. 'Come on, let's call it quits for today and go for a drink.'

'Aren't we supposed to be working until five?' Brian asked.

'Yes, but we often stay until seven or later, so I think a collective afternoon off is perfectly in order.' Sandra reasoned.

'You're the boss,' Gerry said.


	12. Fascinated

**FASCINATED**

'Today's Saturday,' Gerry said during breakfast.

'And?' Sandra asked.

'We have nothing to do... all day long.' She smiled at the suggestive tone his voice had taken.

'That sounds quite... pleasant. But...' She saw his face fall and quickly cut off his reply by kissing him.

'I think we should do something for the guys.'

'The guys?' _The guys are clearly the last thing on his mind right now, _Sandra thought happily as she saw him frown.

'Yes, Gerry, the guys. They're being awfully nice about us. So I thought maybe we could throw a little dinner party for them. And Esther too, of course.'

He nodded slowly. 'Not a bad idea. I could make quails in aspic, and then maybe some-'

'And I thought that maybe I could cook.' Gerry dropped the sandwich he was eating and looked at her intently. 'You? Er, Sandra, I don't mean to be offensive... but _can _you actually cook?'

'Well, I mean, not as such... not like you, obviously. But... well... can you teach me?' He blinked a few times to ascertain that he wasn't dreaming. Sandra didn't cook. _Ever_, as far as he knew.

'Do you want me to? Seriously?' She nodded, smiling. For a moment the sunlight glinted off her teeth and he forgot what he wanted to say. He tried to focus on what she was asking.

'Alright then, let's get cracking. But we'll have to go to my place. I can't possibly be expected to teach you in that tiny kitchen you've got here.' He gestured at the kitchen.

'Let me just get dressed,' she said, standing up and heading for the bedroom.

'Need any help?' he asked, grinning.

'Sod off, Gerry!' she shouted, laughing deliciously.

-

'So what d'you want to cook?' he asked in the car. 'I'll just drive to Waitrose's so we can go shopping for ingredients.'

'Erm... well, I'm not really good with all those posh things...' she said, hesitating.

'What _are_ you good with?'

'Pasta?' she said. He laughed.

'Pasta it is. Should I ask how many sauces you can prepare?'

'Waitrose has a really good brand of ready-made bolognaise...'

'Sandra, do not say _ready-made_. The word in itself is a curse. We are going to make it from scratch. Now tell me what we need.'

'Tomatoes?'

'What else?'

'Is there anything else?'

Gerry sighed and shook his head.

-

'Jack Halford.'

'Jack, it's Gerry. Listen, mate, do you want to come to my place for dinner tonight?'

'Gladly. Are you cooking?' Gerry wanted to keep Sandra's involvement a surprise, not in the least because he was afraid Jack would back out if he knew who was really cooking. His eyes locking with Sandra's, Gerry replied: 'In a way.'

'What do you mean, in a way? Either you're cooking or you're not.'

'See you around seven, okay?'

'I'll be there,' Jack said.

-

He decided to make it as short as he could with Brian, to avoid unwanted questions.

'Brian Lane.'

'Brian, it's Gerry. Dinner at my place tonight, be there at seven, bring Esther. Okay?'

'Yeah, sure, but Gerry-'

'Bye, Brian!'

-

'You're really keen on not telling them who's cooking, aren't you?' Sandra asked with a sparkle in her eyes. She watched him fidget with his apron for a minute.

'That's not true, I simply want to... er... surprise them.'

'I'm sure you do,' she said sarcastically, then wandered over to him for a kiss.

-

'It's very simple. The sauce is perfect; all you need to do is slowly let it heat up again. And boil the pasta. Think you can do that?' Sandra took five plates out of the cupboard and pushed them in his hands.

'Yeah, yeah. Now go lay the table, Mr Chef.'

-

'Hi, Gerry. I brought some wine. Why are you not in the kitchen?' Jack wondered.

'Because my lovely partner is cooking tonight.' Jack's eyes widened and Gerry took the bottle of wine before Jack could drop it. '_Sandra's _cooking?' he asked. 'Are you serious?'

'Yes, she's cooking. Under my relentless supervision, mind you.' At that exact moment, they heard a pan hitting the ground in the kitchen, followed by Sandra swearing loudly.

'Quasi relentless,' Gerry corrected and darted into the kitchen.

-

Brian's reaction to the news was very similar. 'Have you taken your pills?' Jack asked when he opened the door for Brian and Esther.

'Course I have, why?'

'That's why,' Jack said, pointing to the kitchen, where Sandra could be seen stirring the pasta.

'Oh dear,' Brian muttered. 'Oh dear oh dear oh dear.'

'I'm not _that _bad a cook, Brian,' Sandra shouted from the kitchen. 'I've got it all under control.'

'Where's Gerry?' Esther asked.

'Making sure Sandra lives up to that statement she just made,' Jack replied.

'Oh, SOD IT!' Sandra and Gerry shouted in unison. Jack, Brian and Esther looked at each other and decided not to ask what had gone wrong now, but instead sat down and hoped they would eventually get something to eat.

-

As it turned out, mostly thanks to Gerry's quick reactions when it came to cooking, the meal was quite good. 'Sandra, I hadn't expected this, but the meal's really quite good,' Jack said in earnest.

'I had a good teacher,' Sandra explained, throwing a quick smile at Gerry.

-

'That was quite a success!' she said happily. They snuggled up together and kissed.

'Yes, I'll have to watch my back, lest you become a better cook than I am.'

'As if that's ever going to happen. I'm not going to be cooking quabbles in plastic anytime soon.'

'Quails in aspic, love, the name of the dish is quails in aspic.'

'Yeah. Whatever,' she said, shrugging.

'You _did _do well. For a first attempt, I mean.' He was half laughing, half serious.

'Thanks,' she said, all serious. She closed her eyes and just enjoyed his embrace for a while.

'Gerry?' she sighed softly.

'Mm?'

'You haven't called me guv'nor in a while.'

'Is that so... guv'nor.' She laughed.


	13. Revelation

**REVELATION**

On Monday morning D.A.C. Robert Strickland decided to visit UCOS and check how they were doing with the case. Strickland's unfortunate timing saw him walk in on Sandra and Gerry, in an embrace that clearly indicated they were more than just friends.

'What in heaven's name is going on here?' he demanded loudly. Sandra and Gerry let each other go, trying and failing to look as if they hadn't just been caught red-handed.

'Nothing, sir,' Sandra said politely.

'Didn't look like bloody nothing,' Strickland muttered. He glared at Gerry, then turned his attention back to Sandra. 'I've got an important meeting today, but I want you in my office first thing in the morning, Sandra!' He shot Gerry a nasty look and left the office.

* * *

'He's jealous!' Gerry exclaimed joyfully.

'Why is that something to be happy about? He's going to give me hell about this!' Sandra said.

'Personally, I thought he was devoid of any human emotion, but here he is, jealous of me!'

'Are you sure that's it?' Sandra asked doubtfully.

'Oh, absolutely. He wanted to be the one standing here and kissing you, no doubt whatsoever.' She smiled. 'Well, he's not going to be. Ever. I'd kiss you, but he might come back in.' They laughed in unison.

* * *

Sandra went to her office and Gerry sat down at his desk. It hadn't even gone nine o'clock, and Jack and Brian hadn't arrived yet. Gerry decided he wasn't planning to do any work until they came in, and instead fidgeted with a pen and thought of Sandra.

'Excuse me, are you with the Unsolved Crime and Open Case Squad?' A young woman stood in the doorway, shifting her weight nervously. She looked fairly nondescript with long brown hair, blue eyes and glasses that kept sliding off her nose and she kept pushing back.

'Who the _hell_ are you?' Gerry snapped, startled out of his reverie about Sandra and him on a deserted beach.

'I'm Gemma Tattersall. My best friend Lizzy told me you've reopened the Julian Swan case.'

_She seems awfully nervous, _Gerry thought. _We may have a breakthrough coming on here._

'That would be Lizzy Keating, then?'

'Yes.'

'So why are you here?'

'I want to make a statement. About Julian Swan.'

'Oh. You'd better speak to the boss then. Sandra?'

'Oh, good, you two are here. We have a new witness!' Sandra told Jack and Brian as they came in.

'Really? Where?' Brian asked.

'In the interview room. Which one of you would like to accompany me?' Jack, Gerry and Brian looked at each other. 'I'm game,' Brian said.

'Fine with me,' Jack said, and Gerry nodded.

'Alright then. Let's hear what she has to say,' Sandra said.

* * *

'So your name is?' Brian asked, trying to make the young woman feel a little more relaxed.

'Gemma Alice Tattersall.'

'And your date of birth?'

'January 3rd, 1982. In Burgh-le-Marsh.'

'Okay,' Sandra said. 'You said you want to make a statement about Julian Swan?' Gemma nodded.

'Did Lizzy tell you what Julian Swan did to her?'

'She said she had nothing to tell us.'

'Ha! She would. That's why I'm here. To tell you the truth about Julian and Lizzy.'

'About time somebody told the truth in this case,' Jack muttered from outside the interview room.

'Lizzy met Julian in July 1999,' Gemma started. 'They went on a few dates. Then on one of them, he kissed her and that was that. Lizzy thought he was amazing. It wasn't long before they started sleeping together. And when I say not long, I mean two weeks. Just.'

'Well, there isn't really anything wrong with th-' Sandra said.

'Lizzy was _fifteen! _And she didn't want to, which makes it... well, criminal. He _convinced _her. They'd only been together for two weeks! She wasn't ready! Lizzy hadn't exactly had a lot of experience, but he soon sorted that out. Bastard.' Gemma's blue eyes stared harshly at Sandra and Brian, frozen in identical positions.

'He made her do horrible things. And I knew it, I knew something was wrong but... I wasn't strong enough to save her. Never have been. I couldn't protect her. Always too weak...'

'When you say horrible...' Brian asked. Gemma shook her head.

'I mean things that no one, no one should ever do against their will. Maybe not even with their will. Please don't ask me for detailed descriptions. I can't talk about that anymore than Lizzy can.' She closed her eyes for a moment and tried to compose herself.

'And then he dumped her, in August. I had her on the phone for hours. I didn't mind helping her – but every day since, I've wished that it hadn't been necessary. She's never been the same. She lost her self-confidence. She lost everything she believed in. I still don't know how she made it through. I still don't know _whether _ she actually made it through, or whether she's just keeping her chin up and not showing anyone that it still hurts.'

'Thank you for telling us this, Gemma,' Sandra said softly. 'But what exactly do you want from us, now?'

'I want justice for Lizzy. That's all I ever wanted. You want justice for Julian, but I don't. You've got the idea he's just the poor victim of a horrible crime, and I'm not saying he isn't. I just want you to know that that's not all he is. That he's done terrible, cruel things.'

* * *

The team was gathered in the office, trying to wrap their heads around this new information.

'Gemma Tattersall didn't sound like a nutcase to me,' Gerry stated.

'The one time Ginny Massen didn't lie...' Brian said softly.

'And we didn't believe her,' Sandra finished his sentence.

'So what are we going to do? We're still not any closer to cracking it.' Jack said.

'No,' said Sandra, 'but we now have a possible motive. Julian abused some of his girlfriends.'

'Yeah, but Julian was a player, wasn't he? He had heaps of girlfriends. Even his parents aren't quite sure how many...' Gerry cut in.

'It's still the only lead we have, Gerry.' The gentle caress in Sandra's voice as she said his name escaped no one's attention. 'So we'll ask the Swans –again- for all the names they remember. But before we do that, we're going to talk to Lizzy Keating. Jack, you're with me. Gerry, Brian, go back to the crime scene and see whether it'd have been possible to surprise Julian, whether there were places where the killer could have waited, and all that.'

'All right,' Gerry said.

* * *

'At least now we know what she was hiding,' Jack said when they walked up to the front door of Lizzy Keating's house.

'Yes, but I doubt that's going to make this easier,' Sandra replied.

'Oh, not you again,' Lizzy said when she opened the door. 'Come in.'

'Lizzy, we spoke to Gemma Tattersall,' Sandra said gently. Lizzy's eyes grew wide.

'You spoke to Gemma? Why?'

'She came to us. She wanted to tell us... about you and Julian.'

'I told you before, I have nothing to tell you. Why won't you leave me alone?' Lizzy said defensively.

'Julian hurt you,' Jack said. It was a statement, not a question. Lizzy remained quiet. She stared at the ground for a very long time, then finally looked up and said: 'Yes.'

'It wasn't Gemma's secret to tell,' she whispered. 'But she must have known I would never tell you. I still don't see what difference it makes, though. What he did. Who he was.'

'He was a criminal, Lizzy,' Sandra said.

'_No_! He wasn't a criminal! He just... knew what he wanted. And he was prepared to go to great lengths to get it.'

'Did he manipulate you?' Jack asked. Lizzy laughed bitterly.

'Same old story. If you loved me you'd... I can't believe I was stupid enough to fall for that one. Neither can Gemma. She still can't. She was always there for me, you know. I ran to her and she caught me when I fell. There isn't much Gemma wouldn't do for me.'


	14. Interlude

**INTERLUDE**

'Now,' Brian said. 'I'm Julian, you're the killer.' They were standing in the small alley where the murder had taken place. It was very straightforward and didn't seem to have any corners where the killer could have hidden, although it would surely be dark at night.

'Right,' said Gerry, 'what do I do?'

'Well, I'm walking through this alley on my way home... you try to hide around the corner and surprise me when I walk by.' Gerry hid himself where Brian indicated. Brian walked down the alley, trying to look as if he was not expecting any attack. Gerry listened for Brian's footsteps and jumped at Brian's back.

'That doesn't really work, does it?' Gerry asked.

'No, you can't attack me properly from behind like that. Alright, try walking towards me and when we cross each other you attack.'

'What the hell are you two doing here? This is private property!' An enormous man came slinking out of the shadows, startling both of them.

'And this is a crime scene!' The man approached Brian slowly upon his reply.

'Oh yeah? When did the crime take place, then?'

'Ten years ago,' Gerry replied. The man barked a short laugh.

'So you're police officers? Hah. Took you long enough. Not likely to be many traces left.'

'We weren't looking for traces. We were reconstructing the events,' Gerry said crossly.

'What happened?' the man asked, seeming curious despite himself.

'Excuse me, _who are you?'_ Brian asked.

'Barty Senns. I own the pub here,' Barty Senns pointed at the pub, 'and this alley is a part of the pub grounds. So policemen or not, you're trespassing.'

'Or are we?' Gerry remarked, holding up a warrant. Senns nodded gruffly and asked whether he could help them with anything.

'Mr Senns, were you here ten years ago?'

'Yeah, I've had the pub for nearly two decades.'

Brian produced a photograph of Julian Swan and showed it to Senns. 'Did you ever meet this boy?' Senns looked at the picture and frowned. 'He seems kind of familiar, but I couldn't tell you his name.'

'His name is Julian Swan. He was killed ten years ago in this alley,' Gerry prompted.

'Oh yeah, Julian! It's coming back now. He came to have a drink in the pub occasionally. Sometimes he had a girl with him. Never saw him with the same girl twice, though.' Then Gerry's words seemed to sink in. 'He's dead?' Senns asked softly. Both men nodded. 'That's a pity. I didn't know him well, but he seemed like a nice lad to me.'

'If he was killed in this alley, and he visited your pub occasionally...' Gerry started.

'...then he may have been in the pub the night he died,' Brian finished.

'But then again, pubs close at 11PM. And Julian was killed at 1AM. Why would he have stuck around in this alley for two hours?' Gerry wondered.

'A girl?' Senns suggested. 'I don't know when he died and even if I did I wouldn't remember whether he was at my pub that night, but a lot of couples used to make out in this alley after the pub closed.'

'For two whole hours?' Brian said incredulously.

'What's two hours when you're having fun, Mr...?'

'Lane,' Brian added automatically.

'But even so,' Gerry said. 'Where did the girl go? Where was she when he got killed?'

-

'Hey, how did you get on?' Sandra asked Brian and Gerry.

'Tea?' Jack asked them. They all said yes and then Brian answered Sandra's question.

'Our reconstruction didn't work so well, but then a certain Barty Senns appeared.'

'Who's Barty Senns?' came the logical question from Jack.

'He owns the pub near the alley,' Gerry said. 'The Green Lion.'

'And that's not everything. Julian regularly visited Mr Senns' pub,' Brian added.

'Yeah, and _he_ reckons there was a girl there with Julian the night he died,' Gerry finished.

'Ginny Massen?' Sandra presumed.

'That'd be my guess,' Brian said.

'How very interesting,' Jack said, handing everyone their tea.

'What about you?' Brian asked Sandra and Jack.

'Lizzy admitted Gemma was telling the truth,' Sandra replied.

'Are you guys thinking what I'm thinking?' Gerry asked, sipping his tea.

'I think it's time to have a go at Ginny Massen,' Sandra said. The others agreed.

'I'll telephone her, tell her to get in here tomorrow morning,' Brian suggested.

'Better make that afternoon,' Sandra corrected. 'I have to go see Strickland in the morning.' She frowned a little at the prospect and saw a smile tugging at the corners of Gerry's mouth. She glared at him, then smiled, too.

-

Strickland was trying to push his feelings of jealousy away so that he could tell Sandra off from a professional point of view, not a personal one. He wasn't doing very well and was still composing himself when she knocked on the door. 'Come in,' he called.

'I believe you wanted to see me, sir?' she said with that overly polite attitude she always used when she knew he was angry at her.

'Have you completely lost your mind, Sandra?' Strickland said straightaway.

'No, I haven't,' she replied, glaring coldly at him.

'Having it off with Gerry Standing is _not _the kind of professional attitude I expect from you!'

'With respect, sir, I was not having it off in the office.' There was a little bit too much emphasis on the _sir. _

'But you certainly were at home.'

'What I do at home is no concern of yours, sir.'

'Like hell it isn't,' he muttered. 'Of all the men you could get, you pick _Gerry Standing?' _he asked incredulously.

'He's a decent man,' she argued.

'Not as decent as you deserve.'

'I'll thank you to let me be the judge of that.'

'You don't need to be with him because you think you can't have anybody else. Half of the Met would...' Strickland coughed, blushed and failed to finish his sentence. _I don't believe this. Gerry was right. He does want to be with me._

'I'm not with him because I think he's the best I can get. I'm with him because I feel a lot of really good things when I'm near Gerry. And I also think that who I choose to be with is entirely my own affair. Sir,' she added to keep up the pretense that they were having a polite conversation.

'He's too old for you,' he tried.

'But why should you care?' Her eyes challenged him to say it.

'You should be with someone your own age, Sandra. Someone like... someone like me,' he finally said.

'You cannot be serious,' Sandra said, staring at him. Suspecting it was one thing, but having Strickland actually own up to it was quite another.

'I am,' he said, 'dead serious.' He took a few steps forward.

'Stay away from me,' she hissed, then left.

-

'He said what?' Gerry asked, not sure whether to be angry or burst out laughing.

'You should be with someone your own age. Someone like me,' Sandra quoted. Brian and Jack pulled up their eyebrows. 'Told you,' Gerry said. 'He's jealous. He's been after you for years, and now he's probably wondering whether the situation would be different if he'd asked you out before I did.'

Sandra laughed. 'You know what, Gerry? I actually think you're right.'


	15. Flawless

**FLAWLESS**

'Hello, Ginny. We've been hearing a lot about you.'

'Lies!' Ginny said.

'Yeah, that's exactly what we were told you're good at.'

'I never lied about Julian!' she said adamantly.

'We know. Now we need to know something else. Ginny, were you with Julian the night he died? At The Green Lion?' Sandra asked. The woman nodded.

'I was with him, but I left. I lived close to the pub.'

'Why didn't you tell us that before?'

'I didn't think it was important.'

'You were the last person to see him alive and you _didn't think that was important_?' Sandra said incredulously.

'What time did you leave?' Jack asked.

Ginny considered that question for a moment. 'I remember coming home and my alarm clock saying that it was 0.47. So shortly before that.'

'Just before the murder,' Sandra said.

'If I'd stayed five more minutes it might never have happened.' Ginny sounded sad.

'Did you love Julian?' Jack asked gently.

'Love him? No. I knew what he was like. But despite that, he was fun to be with. For a while at least. Julian was charming, but he was never going to commit to a long-term relationship. And let's face it - neither was I.' She paused for a second. 'Didn't want him to die, though.'

* * *

'So,' Gerry said, standing by the whiteboard. 'To sum it up. On the evening of January 3, 2000, Julian Swan and Ginny Massen went to The Green Lion in Southwark.' He pointed to the picture of The Green Lion. 'They left at 11PM, then spent nearly two hours in the alley that belongs to the pub, doing god knows what. Ginny Massen left for her nearby house at about quarter to one, arriving there two minutes later. In the mean time, Julian hung around in the alley.'

'Wait, why?' Sandra said. 'Why wait? His girlfriend had gone home.'

'I have absolutely no idea,' Gerry said.

'He'd had a few, right?' Jack cut in. 'Maybe he was so drunk he needed to stay still for a while.'

'In which case being drunk cost him his life,' Brian said. They all went quiet as they contemplated that and how Brian probably felt about it.

'Come on,' Gerry said. 'Pub.'

* * *

'Good move,' Sandra said as she drove Gerry to the pub.

'Hey, you may think I'm an insensitive git, but I'm telling you, I am not.' He grinned at her.

'I know you're not. I wouldn't be sleeping with you if you were.' He laughed.

'No, you probably wouldn't.'

* * *

'What can I get you?' the barman asked Gerry as Jack, Brian and Sandra found a table.

'A dry white wine, two pints of bitter and a sparkling water, please.'

Gerry handed everyone their drinks, sat down and considered something for a moment, trying to decide whether or not to say something. Jack, Brian and Sandra were chatting about trivial matters, when Gerry suddenly cut in: 'You know, that girl Gemma... did any of you sense something strange from her? Like a lot of suppressed anger?'

'Well, considering what Julian did to her friend, I'm not surprised,' Sandra said.

'Yeah, I guess so...' Gerry said doubtfully.

'Sandra, have you seen Strickland since this morning?' Jack asked.

'No, I've been avoiding him. You know...' She pulled a face that clearly indicated what she meant. 'I think it's for the best.'

'You can't avoid him forever,' Brian said.

'Yeah, maybe you should take him up on his offer,' Jack suggested in a very serious tone. Gerry stiffened and seemed to shift closer to Sandra almost subconsciously. 'It's a joke, Gerry,' Jack reminded him.

'Very funny,' Gerry growled.

'Okay! Well! Let's go home!' Sandra said, sensing that she urgently needed to get Gerry away from here.

* * *

Sandra woke up in an empty bed. For a moment it seemed like she had only ever dreamt that she wasn't alone. _Dreamt a relationship with Gerry? As if you could. _She turned over grumpily and her hand met something hard. 'What?' she murmured, then saw she was holding a piece of paper. She folded it open and read:

_Sandra,_

_I'm out grocery shopping. Go back to sleep. I will be with you again very soon._

_Gerry_

'Grocery shopping? It's bloody nine in the morning,' she grumbled to herself. Then she followed Gerry's advice and went back to sleep.

* * *

Gerry wasn't grocery shopping. It was an excuse, and he had picked up the ingredients for dinner to back up his story, but now he had arrived at the true goal of his journey.

A jeweller's.

* * *

He weighed the little silver necklace in his hand and stroked the largest stone of the pendant. The diamond sparkled like the sun, and he felt that was a really good representation of Sandra. He was sure she'd love it.

'I'll have it,' he told the jeweller.

'Excellent choice, sir. Your wife will love it, I'm sure.'

'Oh no, we're not-' Gerry then cut his sentence off as he wondered what business his love life was of the jeweller's. He went outside with the little blue box hidden safely in his pocket.

* * *

She was still in bed when he came home. He sat down next to her and kissed her forehead.

'Wake up, Sandra,' he said.

'Hmm?' she grumbled, then opened her eyes. 'Oh, you're back.'

'You saw my note.'

'Yes. Grocery shopping?'

'Oh, you'll see. At dinner.'

'I'll see what you've bought for dinner?'

'Amongst other things, yes.'

Sandra frowned. 'You have a secret,' she accused.

'Yes,' he admitted freely.

'I don't like it,' she said.

'I feel ever so sorry for you,' he said, without a hint of pity in his voice. She picked up a pillow and threw it at him. He dodged it neatly, and left the room laughing.

* * *

'Dinner's over. Now are you going to tell me what the big secret is?' Sandra almost begged.

'You are _so_ impatient. Alright. Let's go to the living room.'

He pulled her with him to the sofa and sat down. Then he took the box out of his pocket and showed it to her. 'This,' he said, 'is for you.' Her eyes grew wide.

'For me?' He smiled as she took the box and opened it. For a moment, she could only stare at the necklace.

'Gerry, it's...' Sandra was lost for words.  
'Three carats,' he whispered. 'Flawless. Like you.'

'It's amazing. Thank you. So much.' She hugged him tightly, then looked at the necklace in her hand, obviously longing to try it on. Gerry took it from her gently.

'Here, let me.' He fastened the necklace around her neck, caressing her lightly while he was at it. The diamonds glittered and shimmered in the dimmed light.

'It's beautiful,' she said.

'You're beautiful,' he whispered. She smiled as he kissed her.

* * *

Gerry had gone into the kitchen to make tea for them. Sandra stayed in the living room. She looked out of the window. The only part of her that was reflected in the glass was the necklace he had given her. She smiled.


	16. Sincerity

**SINCERITY**

She saw a shape waiting in front of her office door. She smiled, recognising the familiar body.

'Sandra?'

'Come in, Gerry,' she called.

'I'm having the girls round for dinner tonight,' he said.

'You mean your wives and daughters?' she asked.

'Who else? You can come, if you like.'

'I don't think I'm quite ready to join _that_ little club yet, Gerry.'

'Nevermind. That's okay.' But she could tell that it wasn't.

'Gerry...' she tried.

'I'm going home,' he said. 'Start cooking.'

He didn't kiss her before he left.

* * *

Sandra was sitting in the sofa, her head in her hands, thinking about the look on Gerry's face when she had bluntly refused to join his family. She was wondering whether she'd made the right decision. When he'd asked, she'd just seen his family - 'Another woman, Gerry?' - and her inbetween them, first his boss, now his partner. She knew that she wouldn't fit. But she also knew that he was angry because of her refusal and she felt really bad about that. 'Enough moping about, Sandra Pullman,' she said to herself. 'It's time for action. Go see him.'

* * *

She rang the doorbell, and as soon as he opened the door she said: 'Got room for one extra?' She smiled shyly, noticing how he was staring at the street, carefully avoiding her eyes.

'What are you doing here?' he asked, still refusing to look at her.

'I, er... I want to apologise.'

'There's no need. I understand if you've changed your mind about me.'

'What? No! Is that what you think?' Gerry remained silent.

'I haven't changed my mind at all,' she said softly, seriously. She reached for her necklace – the one Gerry had given her – and saw his gaze follow her hand.

'Gerry... can I come in?' He hesitated.

'Yeah, alright. Come to the kitchen.'

'Look, we haven't been together very long. And I just... I feel scared. I don't want to meet your family yet, I mean, not as your new girlfriend. I'd feel awkward. But I don't want to lose you...' She wiped a single tear from her cheek. He pulled her into his arms. 'You're not going to lose me. Don't worry.'

'I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry.' She clutched him as if she'd never let go.

'Sandra.' He took her chin in his hand and made her look at him.

'You have nothing to be sorry for. Do you want to stay here? We don't have to tell them. You don't even have to see them if you don't want to.' She nodded weakly.

'Go up to my room. I'll get them to leave as soon as possible. Promise.' He kissed her briefly, then went to the living room.

* * *

'Ladies, I'm afraid I'm going to have to cut this evening short.'

'Why?' Alison asked.

'Because there's a bit of an emergency.'

'Oh, another woman, Gerry?' Jayne said, amused.

'An emergency _at work_,' he stressed. It wasn't true, but Sandra was, strictly speaking, a part of his work.

'Well, we wouldn't want to be in the way of your work, would we, Dad?' Paula said, gathering her stuff and picking up little Gerry.

* * *

Sandra was standing by the window when he came in. She was looking outside to see the women leaving when she felt his presence in the room.

'They're leaving,' he said.

'I know,' she said. Then she turned around.

'So I'm a bit of an emergency?' Sandra asked, laughing.

'Oh, you definitely are,' he said, pulling her with him onto the bed. She settled against the pillows and into his arms comfortably. Then a thought came to her.

'Gerry? Why did you think I'd changed my mind?'

'Oh, come _on. _Like you don't know. You practically had a love confession from Strickland. Who is your age, a high-ranking officer and in many ways a perfect match for you.'

'_Strickland? _' She almost wanted to burst out laughing. 'Are you for real?' He stared at her, refusing to say a word. 'You have _got _to be kidding me. Me and Strickland? As if! He's got no sense of fun. You taught me how to lighten up a little, Gerry. Bend the rules. Strickland never bends the rules. The two of us would just be workaholics.'

'As if you're not already... both of you,' he said, but he was smiling now. She leaned in closer and pressed her forehead to his. He took the opportunity to kiss her. She sighed as he let go for a minute so they could catch their breath. Then she looked at him very seriously.

'I thought we'd never... never again. Gerry, I'm so sorry...'

'Hush,' he breathed on her skin. She gasped as he kissed her neck. 'So lovely,' he muttered.

'What?' she said, slowly.

'Intoxicating,' he whispered. 'Your scent. So sweet. Like strawberries and roses.' She smiled.

'Even that eternal fag-stench of yours is starting to smell good. I must be losing it.'

'It must be love,' he spoke from the heart. She went very quiet for a moment.

'Maybe it is.' She sighed and their eyes locked.

'Maybe. Who will tell, Gerry?'


	17. Threshold

**THRESHOLD**

The man was wandering through the hallways at random, trying to find UCOS' office. He stopped an officer in his tracks and asked for directions.

'Turn left at the end of the hallway,' Robert Strickland said, then frowned as the man thanked him and walked away. He tried to remember where he had seen that man before, but was finding it hard. There had been something in his eyes that was strangely familiar... A determination he knew well, because it was displayed all the time by...

'Shit,' he muttered, then dashed down the hallway in the same direction as the other man.

* * *

'Is Detective Superintendent... oh.' Tom Eldridge froze as he was met by Gerry's hostile stare.

'What are _you _doing here?' he snapped.

'I came to speak to _my sister._'

'She's not in, so you're just gonna have to leave, Eldridge.'

'Now you listen here, _Mr _Standing, I've had all the lip I'm taking from you-'

'Oh yeah? What you going to do about it, eh?'

'I'll show you, you worthless cretin-' Tom lunged forward, trying to hit Gerry, who ducked and managed to punch Tom in the stomach.

'Whoa, whoa, what the hell is going on here?' Strickland pushed the door open and tried to separate the fighting men. In doing so, he accidentally had a close encounter with Tom's fist, and reflexively, he hit back.

* * *

Sandra, Jack, and Brian, who had gone out to get lunch, were walking down the hallway towards the office when they heard a lot of shouting and other, rather disturbing noises.

'What the... oh, you have _got _to be kidding me!' Sandra exclaimed, moving straight into the office, followed by Jack and Brian, who looked at each other and shrugged. All three of them froze momentarily as they stared at the fighting men. Then Sandra grabbed Gerry's arm and spoke his name urgently.

'Gerry! Gerry, for _god's _sake!'

* * *

Her voice was the only thing that could get through to him right now. He let go of whoever it was that he was holding and assessed the situation. Tom was clutching his stomach, Strickland felt his cheek with a pained look, and Gerry felt as if he had a black eye coming up. Then he turned and was met with Sandra's furious eyes. She spoke slowly, through clenched teeth, but her anger was still obvious.

'Have the three of you gone TOTALLY MAD?'

'Er.' Strickland said hesitantly.

'Not a word from you!' she snapped. 'Gerry, why are you fighting with them?'

'Well, you see... Tom... and then Strickland... and then...'

'I see,' she said frostily. 'No reason at all.'

'Er, yeah, basically, that... that would cover it.'

Sandra stared at the faces of the three men who were fighting over her, and burst out laughing at the same time that Jack and Brian did.

'Oh, yes, very funny,' Gerry grumbled.

'God, you should see your _face_, Gerry,' Sandra managed to get out inbetween laughter. Eventually, she pulled herself together. 'Okay. Tom - out.'

'Sandra...'

'No.'

'I was hoping that maybe... we could start over.'

'I don't think we can, Tom,' she said softly.

He sighed. 'I'm really sorry you had to see that.'

'Just go,' she said, not looking at him. Then she turned to Gerry, carefully traced his black eye with a single finger and bent forward to whisper in his ear. 'I'll take care of your eye later,' she promised. He smiled at the prospect. She headed straight for her office after that.

'Sandra? Can I speak to you for a minute?' Strickland asked. She stopped in her tracks and turned around. 'So how's the case going?' he said quickly, before she could ask him what the hell he wanted now. 'We're getting there.' Her tone was icy.

'So you know who did it.'

'No, but we know a lot more about Julian's personality than the original investigating team. It seems quite a few people had an axe to grind.'

Strickland hesitated, then said: 'Sandra, about you and Gerry...'

'We've had this conversation, and I told you before,' she said stiffly. 'It's none of your business.'

'I just wanted to say I'm sorry I behaved like that. And about the fight too. I was out of line. Out of order. Totally inappropriate.'

Sandra considered this for a moment. 'Yeah, you were.' Then she smiled.

'You're forgiven. But be warned - stay out of my personal life.'

'I will,' he said, then took a step forward and carefully kissed her cheek. She stayed perfectly still.

On the way back to his office, he passed Gerry. He winked and said: 'You're a lucky man, Gerry.'

'Yeah,' Gerry said, 'I know.'


	18. Realise

**REALISE**

It was Friday night and Gerry was planning a quiet night in with Sandra, not in the least because he hoped a fabulous dinner would make her more forgiving about his fight with Tom and Strickland. She hadn't arrived yet, and he wasn't sure why she'd wanted to go back to her place first anyway. She'd claimed she needed to dress up, and when he told her she looked great in anything, she'd smiled mysteriously and gone home anyway. He wondered what she was up to.

* * *

Sandra got out of her car and cast a suspicious eye on the sky. She had left her jacket at home, as it was the end of March and quite warm outside. She hoped that didn't prove to be a mistake, as the clouds were definitely rolling in, seemingly forecasting a thunderstorm. Still, she didn't have to walk very far to Gerry's place, so she would probably make it before the clouds burst. She hurried.

* * *

A gentle knock on the door got his attention. 'Come in, it's not locked,' he called, leaving the kitchen to see Sandra stepping inside. This confused him even more, as she was wearing a plain brown sweater and a matching skirt. The clothes looked nice enough on her, but she was not exactly what he would describe as 'dressed up'.

'Sandra Pullman, what _are_ you up to?' he wondered out loud.

'All in good time, Gerry. All in good time. Is that dinner I smell?'

* * *

'Sandra, about...'

She rolled her eyes. 'It was completely and totally, utterly _ridiculous_, Gerry.'

'Yeah, I know,' he said, smirking.

'I mean, seriously - how did you get into a fight in the first place?'

'Er, Tom and I don't exactly see eye to eye. Basically he thinks I should keep my hands off his sister and I think he should stop hurting my partner. And then Strickland came in and he just sort of got hit and hit back.' He shrugged.

'I knew I was in for something special when I got together with you, Gerry, but honestly - that fight was like a bad trip.'

'Is that why you thought it was so funny?' he asked.

'Definitely,' she smiled.

* * *

After dessert, he pulled her over to the sofa and they sat down comfortably.

'So I guess you've been wondering why I said I was going to dress up, and then turned up wearing_ these_?' She gestured to her clothes.

'Not half,' he replied, glad that he was finally going to see what the mystery was all about.

'Well, it's because I _am _dressed up. It's just that, for the moment, you can't see.'

Realisation dawned.

'You mean...' he said slowly.

'Yes,' she said, beaming happily, and got up. Standing in front of him, she hooked her fingers into the waistband of her skirt. He stared as she slowly pushed it down, only to reveal _another skirt. _This one was dark purple and looked silky smooth. She bent down, slipping her high-heeled shoes off one by one, standing barefoot on the carpet as she took her sweater off.

For a moment, he couldn't think past the way the incredibly tight, strapless dress hugged her body. It was unlike anything he'd ever seen before, and yet...

'Recognise anything?' she asked teasingly.

He knew that dress. The one she'd worn in one of the beautiful pictures.

'I found your album, Gerry. And the picture of me in this dress.'

'Ah,' he said, unable to utter anything more interesting than this, since he was still gazing at Sandra. She stroked her necklace, that set the neckline of the dress off perfectly.

'And since you gave me this beautiful necklace... well, maybe you'd like some pictures of me wearing it.'

That put a stop to his thoughts. 'Pictures?'

'Yes, love, pictures. Of me, in this dress that you already have a picture of, and this necklace, that you don't have a picture of yet. What do you say?'

'Why would I spend all this time taking pictures when I could also spend it doing much more interesting things with you?' She grinned.

'Because you'll be enjoying these pictures for much longer than you'll be enjoying our other interesting activities.'

'I beg to differ,' he muttered, still staring.

'Objection overruled,' she said, laughing. 'Come on, get your camera. I'll make it worth your while, I promise.'

* * *

And Sandra Pullman never broke a promise.

* * *

Sandra lay awake, listening to Gerry's even breathing. Outside, the thunderstorm she had been expecting had broken loose. She was contemplating everything that had happened, and how abruptly her life had changed in the past two weeks. Ever since she got together with Gerry, her life had gone so fast that she hadn't had any time to think about it. There was a flash of lightning outside, reminding her of the lightning she'd felt in that first kiss. In a way, it felt like coming full circle. Only this wasn't over - it was just beginning. She was certain about that. Gerry was not the man she would have chosen for herself if she had been thinking about it rationally. But it seemed that her feelings had taken over, finally expressing what she had been denying for so long: that they were, in a way, exactly what the other needed. And just thinking of the way Gerry had looked at her when she was wearing that dress, made her thoughts cloudy all over again.

She was sure the pictures would be nice, though.

* * *

The team was gathered in the office, discussing what they had done during the weekend. Particularly what Jack and Brian had done, since everybody _knew_ what Sandra and Gerry had done _anyway. _Eventually Jack tired of the subject, and decided to remind them of their jobs.

'We've still got a case to solve, remember?' he said.

'Oh, right. The case,' Gerry muttered vaguely, which earned him a grin from Sandra.

'There's got to be _something _here,' Jack said firmly, looking at the whiteboard. 'It may have been in front of our very noses all along.'

'Wait a minute... what exactly did Gemma say when she was here?' Gerry said slowly.

'I want justice for Lizzy...' Brian started.

'That's all I ever wanted,' Jack finished.

And suddenly, they were all thinking the same way, impossibly fast.

'Goodness me, she _did it!_' Sandra exclaimed.

'There isn't much Gemma wouldn't do for me!' Jack quoted Lizzy.

They grabbed their coats and left.


	19. Truth

**TRUTH**

'Gemma Alice Tattersall, I'm arresting you for the murder of Julian Miller Swan. You don't have to say anything...'

Gerry tuned Sandra's voice out while she spoke the worn-out words, focusing on Gemma Tattersall instead. She did not look defeated, or even surprised. There was something strange in her eyes... relief? _Sandra's arresting her and she feels relieved?_

_

* * *

_

Gemma sat down in the interview room and smiled at Sandra and Jack.

'I always knew you'd get me in the end.'

Outside, Gerry frowned. 'There's something so strange about that woman,' he muttered to Brian.

'Why don't you tell us what happened?' Sandra asked Gemma.

'It was the night after my eighteenth birthday. Well, I've always had the impression that important birthdays suck. My twenty-first wasn't superb, either.' Gemma sighed as she returned to that fateful night.

'I'd been at a friend's place. Lizzy was a mutual friend of ours, and she was there too. She lived further away than I did, so she stayed the night at Sarah's place. I walked home just before one AM. The alley near The Green Lion was a short cut. And then there he was. Julian Swan, looking like the cat that got the cream. I wanted to run away, but he'd seen me...'

* * *

'_Well, well,' he said. 'If that isn't little, prissy Miss Tattersall. How are you this fine evening? Need anyone to keep you warm tonight?' I thought I could smell the alcohol on his breath._

'_Go hang yourself, Swan,' I snapped, sounding a lot more confident than I felt._

'_Oh, it can be arranged, sweetheart. If that's your thing.' He winked at me. I'd never been so angry in my life. I asked the first question that got into my head._

'_Tell me, _Julian. _How many others are there? How many others did you use and then dump?'_

'_Cut the crap, _Gemma. _You're not thinking about the others. You're only thinking about your friend. Dear Lizzy. Where is she, our Lizzy? Where is she tonight?'_

'_That's got nothing to do with you.'_

'_God, you think you're so clever, don't you Tattersall? You think you've got me cornered.'_

'_You raped a fifteen-year-old girl. I've got you cornered alright.'_

'_Aah, but where's your proof? You haven't got anything on me and you know it.'_

'_I'll dig until I find something.'_

'_Or until I find Lizzy and do the same thing to her... over and over again.' I got scared then. I was afraid he must know that Lizzy was near._

'_I won't _let _you. You'll never touch her again. I'll stop you.'_

'_You and whose army, Tattersall?'_

_

* * *

_

Gemma shrugged. 'I lashed out. He fell. Badly. But even when he was down, I couldn't stop hitting him. It was like I had to make sure that he wouldn't hurt Lizzy ever again.'

She looked up to see Sandra and Jack staring at her.

'Well, you know what they say. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned... and I was a woman very, very scorned.'

'What did you do when you saw he was dead?' Jack wanted to know.

'I freaked out. But then I got my act together. It was one AM. No one was around. I was wearing gloves.' Gemma reached into her pocket, pulled out a pair of old, dark blue gloves and threw them on the table. She laughed when she saw the two detectives gaze at the gloves, and shrugged.

'I've been carrying them around with me ever since I came to tell you about Lizzy. I knew you'd catch up. I mean, you're not stupid.'

'No kidding,' Sandra said, in awe of the calm, composed way Gemma could sit there and discuss murder.

'You do know that those gloves help us, not you?' Jack said. 'Without the DNA on those gloves we have no way of linking you to the murder, except for your confession.'

'I've been lying for ten years. I always knew what happened to Julian, but I had to tell Lizzy that I didn't. I had to lie to everyone, keeping my secret. I'm coming clean. You know everything now.'

'But...' Sandra said slowly. 'But you came to talk to us about Lizzy. If you hadn't done that we might never have figured it out. Why did you do it, Gemma?' Gemma laughed bitterly.

'Because I knew that unless someone told you the whole truth about Julian, he'd always be the victim of a horrible crime. He'd never be the criminal he really was. No one would ever know.'

'The only thing you didn't tell us is that you killed him.'

'It was the perfect murder. I wasn't going to confess straightaway, was I?' She sighed, then went on.

'What I did made him a victim, not a criminal. I know that. But if that's the price I have to pay to know that Lizzy walks the surface of this earth free and safe, so be it.'

'And if the price includes gaol?'

'It doesn't matter. I protected her. That's all that matters.'

'Told you there was something strange about her,' Gerry reminded Brian, who laughed at Gerry's smug grin. 'Yeah, sure, you were right, Gerry.'

* * *

Sandra stood by the window in the office, watching two police officers lead Gemma Tattersall to a car. She rubbed her forehead.

'Hey,' Gerry said softly. She looked at him and forced a smile.

'Not the easiest of cases to take in, huh?'

'No, it definitely isn't. Ugh.' She sighed.

'You did well, Sandra,' Jack complimented her.

'We all did,' Brian corrected.

'It's weird, I... I thought we were looking for a bastard who had killed an eighteen-year-old, but we turned out to be looking for an eighteen-year-old who had killed a bastard,' Sandra said.

'She gave up everything for her friend,' Gerry muttered.

'Makes you wonder. The things she did... would we do the same?' They looked at each other without saying anything for a long time.

'C'mon, you two. I'll buy you a drink,' Jack said.

* * *

**This is the end of the main storyline (as in, the case) but there is an epilogue to this story which will eventually be uploaded as chapter 20. **

**I just want to say thank you to everybody who has taken the time to read and review this story. It makes my day every time I read a review, so thank you and I hope you will enjoy the epilogue as much as I enjoyed writing it!**


	20. Tricks

_Dedicated to George, because he never got to read this chapter_

_

* * *

_

**TRICKS**

Eight months had come and gone. It was the end of November. Some things had changed; many hadn't. UCOS's clear-up rate was better than ever. Sandra was offered promotion several times, but by now Brian, Jack and Gerry knew not to worry about this. She never accepted.

'This is where I belong now,' she had said on a memorable occasion. 'I found something in each of you that I'm not going to throw away.' She had smiled. 'Friendship... and love... are what makes life worthwhile. I'm staying. For as long as you want me.'

* * *

When Paula had gotten in trouble with her landlord, Gerry had graciously allowed her and little Gerry to move back into his house, as he was now living with Sandra almost full-time anyway, even despite his regular complaints about her kitchen appliances. He was too happy to be with the woman of his dreams to really care.

* * *

Sandra had slowly managed to build up a civil relationship with Tom. They wouldn't say they were friends, but they'd stopped fighting, at least. Gerry rarely spoke to Tom. It was stubborn and a bit childish, he knew that, but he couldn't quite forgive Tom for hurting Sandra all that time ago.

* * *

And Gerry was making plans.

Making plans involved making phonecalls.

'What are you talking about, the venue is taken? Look, mate, I booked that hall _first..._ I don't care _how _important this customer is, I need that place!'

'Hey, you're a jeweller, right? So shouldn't you be able to match the size of the new ring to that old one I gave you? Which I _will _be needing back before she finds out it's gone, by the way.'

'You don't do made-to-measure dresses without the person coming in? Look, it was hard enough to get her measurements without her finding out... if I could _tell _her, then I would have done, don't you think? There is such a thing as planning a surprise.'

And then there was the most difficult call of all.

'Tom? Listen, mate, I know we started out on the wrong foot before... but I need a favour. I'd really appreciate it if you could come...'

* * *

The hardest part was making sure Sandra didn't walk in on him making these suspicious calls. It was a near thing on multiple occasions.

'Who was that?' Sandra would typically ask, to which he'd reply either Jack or Brian. She would nod, eyeing him suspiciously, especially when he suddenly had to 'be somewhere'.

* * *

Making plans without Sandra finding out involved tricks.

Whenever she asked him where he was off to, he had to come up with lame excuses about shopping or family visits. Every time he did, her expression became a little bit more suspicious. He would have liked to have done this without Sandra even finding out that _something _was going on, but that proved to be impossible.

* * *

'Emily? Hi, it's Sandra. Yeah, I'm good, but something's up. Your _dad _of sorts seems to be very busy these days. He's always running off, and making excuses when he's on the phone and... what? No, I don't think there's somebody else. I mean... I hope there isn't, or I'll kill him. It's just... I was wondering whether you know what's going on? _What? _You know exactly what's going on but you can't tell me? Oh crap, he's not planning a birthday party, is he? _Not exactly? _What the hell is that supposed to mean? Come off it, Emily, you can tell me... Yes, but-'

'What exactly do you want her to tell you, Sandra?' Sandra started, nearly dropping her phone on the floor, when she heard Gerry's voice.

'Bye, Em,' she said, hanging up quickly. He grinned. 'Well?'

'Well, er, you know, just how she's doing and whatnot.' He nodded, amused. _Now who's making up excuses about their phonecalls? I hope she doesn't find out I heard the entire thing. Sod it, I hope nobody tells her. There are way too many people in the know about this._

_

* * *

_

Gerry's wives and daughters knew all about their relationship by now, and seemed okay with it too, though Emily was the only one who was truly supportive of Sandra and helped her through some of the rougher patches. Still, he was torn on whether or not to invite them. He asked Emily for advice on the matter.

'Well, what would Sandra want?'

'I don't know. She might think it's a bit... weird. You know. All of them being there.'

'Are you inviting me?' Emily asked with a crooked grin.

'Yes, but that's different. You're friends, plus you're not actually my daughter.'

'No, but I am part of the family, just like the rest. And if you intend to make Sandra part of the family - properly - then I think the rest of the family should be there.'

Gerry rubbed his eyes. 'Damn, why does it have to be so difficult?'

'Cause it wouldn't be life if it were easy. Dad,' she added as an afterthought. 'What if...'

'Don't even go there, Emily. I swear I can't think about that or I'll go to pieces and I've got so much to do I can't afford that right now.'

'It'll be all right, Dad. Somehow,' Emily said before hugging him.

* * *

Strickland provided a similar problem. Gerry went to his office one day and explained his plans.

'So, you know, I understand if you'd rather not come. But if you want to, you're definitely invited.'

Strickland smiled. 'I'll be there, Gerry. What time?'

'Six should be fine. I'll take her to Greenwich in the late afternoon.'

'Got it. And I take it Sandra doesn't know about this yet?'

'Obviously not. I'd really appreciate it if you wouldn't tell her.'

'Of course I won't. I'll see you then.'

* * *

Gerry had met Jack and Brian in the pub to discuss a few last-minute matters.

'Gerry, how exactly did you get away from Sandra tonight?' Brian informed.

'There was a film on she really wanted to see. It was easy.'

'So, ehm, I don't want to burst your bubble... but did you think about the possibility that...' Jack said slowly.

'That she says no and it all goes belly-up? Of course I did, Jack. It's all I think about sometimes, but then I look at her and I know that... that she'll say yes. Probably. Maybe. Hopefully. Gah.'

Brian and Jack just laughed. Gerry glared at them. 'I don't see what's so funny about my situation!' he retorted.

'Gerry, you've been married three times. I can't believe you're even nervous about this,' Brian said incredulously.

'Yeah, well. I am, so there.' Jack rolled his eyes as Gerry got up.

'See you tomorrow. Don't be late!'

'Yeah, but will you still do it if she says no?'

'Party's on, Jack. Whether it's with a yes or with a no.'

* * *

Gerry and Sandra were enjoying the afternoon sun on the banks of the Thames.

'There's something I need to show you,' he said suddenly.

'What?'

'Come on.' He grabbed her hand and took her to his car.

'Where are we going?'

'Greenwich,' Gerry said, grinning.

'_Greenwich? _What's in Greenwich?'

'You'll see.' He refused to say anything else about the subject.

* * *

'Gerry! Why are we going to the Royal Observatory?' Sandra asked impatiently as they climbed the steep hill in Greenwich Park.

'You'll see, you'll see. Come on then!'

* * *

Once they had reached the top, Gerry led Sandra to the little square next to the Royal Observatory and pointed at the stunning view.

'Look down. What do you see?'

'The park, the Royal Naval College, the Thames, the Docklands... Gerry, why are we here?'

'Because what you see is the world at your feet,' he said in a very serious voice. She looked at him, confused. 'What you see is what I want to give you for your birthday.'

'You want to give me half of London for my birthday?'

'Yes. But because I don't own half of London and the owners wouldn't sell...' She laughed softly, though she still didn't understand. '... you'll have to settle for this.' He gave her a small, black velvet box. Her eyes widened. 'What's that?'

'Open it.' She did. Inside was a small white golden ring, with a diamond set inbetween two smaller sapphires. 'I... It...' She couldn't speak for the beauty of the ring.

'Sandra, will you marry me?'

* * *

Sandra's head was spinning as she got in the car and Gerry sped away from London, driving for about half an hour before ending up outside a country manor house seemingly in the middle of nowhere.

'What's this?' she asked.

'Just a place,' he said with a smirk.

'Not done with the surprises yet, are you?'

'Sandra - I've hardly gotten started.'

She laughed deliciously and he joined her.

'Come on, let's go inside.' She got out of the car and admired the building. A little sign said it had been built in the year 1387. It was all very impressive, and she wondered what she'd find inside.

* * *

'It's a country house hotel, and you can hire it for parties,' he explained as he led her into the hallway.

'Which you did,' Sandra assumed.

'Clearly.' He smiled. 'Come on in.'

He watched her eyes widen as she took in the beautiful room and the people in it. Most of the guests were only to be expected; Jack, Brian and Esther for a start, Gerry's wives and daughters. She was surprised by Strickland, who smiled radiantly and didn't look even slightly jealous. And then her eyes fell on the only person in the room sitting down.

'Mum?' She looked at Gerry, then hissed, 'You dragged her here?'

'Well, it is a _family occasion_, you know!'

'Great,' she grumbled.

'Come on, be nice.'

'It's my birthday. I don't _have to _be nice.'

'Yes, you do.' He pushed her forward gently so she ended up right in front of her mother.

'Hi,' Sandra said.

'I never thought I'd see the day you held a man down for any length of time,' Grace Pullman told her daughter somewhat grumpily.

'Thanks, mum,' Sandra said with a sarcastic grin.

'Actually,' Grace whispered confidentially, 'I thought you'd go for that Strickland bloke.'

'Mum – _please!_' Gerry could tell she was wondering why _she _had to play nice, when her own mother obviously had no plans whatsoever to play nice. He steered her over to Jack and Brian to prevent Sandra from losing her temper now.

'Let's see it, then!' Brian said excitedly.

'See what?' Sandra asked, surprised.

'Your engagement ring of course!' Jack said, reaching for her hand, and inspecting the ring carefully. 'Lovely,' he said, as Brian came to look at it as well.

'Wait, you _knew_?' Sandra couldn't quite wrap her head around it.

'Of course we knew. He's only been going on about it for weeks,' Brian complained.

'As soon as you turned your back, we had to answer heaps of questions. Where and how did we propose? What kind of ring did we get? How likely did we think you were to say no? Was he being hasty, was it too soon? He drove us mad,' Jack said, laughing.

'You'd think the man of the three wives wouldn't need our advice,' Brian added.

'Yeah yeah, alright,' Gerry said, slightly embarrassed.

* * *

Her mother wasn't the only unexpected guest.

'Tom! You're here too?' She frowned. 'Wait, where were you? I didn't see you when I came in.' He gestured towards the door marked _Gentlemen _at the end of the room. 'Oh,' she mouthed.

'Congratulations, Sandra,' he said, hugging his sister awkwardly. 'On your birthday, and of course your engagement. I brought you a card, but I didn't have time to get you anything else...'

'Never mind that. You're here. That means a lot to me.'

'You're my sister. We may not have known the other existed for thirty-five years, but that doesn't change the fact you're my sister.'

'I'm really sorry, Tom. That you had such a rough start to life.'

He shrugged. 'It wasn't your fault, and I never meant to blame you. Want to call a truce, Sandra?'

'Happy to,' she said, and shook the hand he offered.

* * *

'Hey, Sandra,' Strickland called. 'Speech!'

'Oh, _no, _I can't...' she mumbled as everyone encouraged her to speak up.

'Alright, alright. Er, well, I'm not sure what to say exactly. I want to thank you all for coming, and for all your support throughout the years.' She wiped her eyes when she felt tears well up.

'Yeah, just, just... thanks,' she finished weakly, suddenly overwhelmed by her emotions. Gerry put his arm around her and squeezed her shoulders gently as she muttered, 'Worst speech ever, or what?'

'Well, you didn't have time to prepare, did you?' he said, then let go of her and walked over to a corner of the room. She couldn't see what he was doing there until he came back.

'Happy birthday, Sandra,' he said. He handed her a large box.

'For me?' she said softly.

'Of course,' he said, indicating that she should open it.

'Oh!' she gasped as she took out a dress, folded it open and held it against her. It was long, black and strapless, with a wide skirt and subtle decorations. A line of diamonds decorated the top half of the dress.

'So... beautiful...' she muttered, admiring the soft fabric.

'Go on then,' Gerry said. 'Try it on!'

'Oh, no-'

'Come on, Sandra,' Esther said. 'We all want to see what it looks like when you have it on.'

'But - where...' Sandra sputtered.

Gerry grinned. 'I'm always prepared.' She raised an eyebrow at that. 'I booked a room in the hotel,' he explained, dropping the key in her outstretched hand.

* * *

She admired herself in the antique mirror of the hotel room, and was surprised that her shoes matched the dress to perfection, until she remembered that Gerry had recommended that she wear these shoes today. 'Gerald Standing, you are never going to change,' she told her reflection, shaking her head, laughing in spite of herself.

* * *

As she entered the main room in her new attire, everyone fell silent and Gerry walked over to her, his smile wider than she'd ever seen it before. He reached her and hugged her straightaway, then held her at arm's length to look her over properly.

'You look beautiful.'

'Thank you.' She eyed him carefully. 'The manor, the party, the dress... You never thought I was going to say no, did you?'

'I always hoped it would be an offer you couldn't refuse,' he said seriously. She burst out laughing, then wrapped her arms around his neck and demanded, 'Kiss me.'

'Oh, gladly,' he replied.

* * *

'So let me get this straight. Absolutely everybody knew - except me.'

'Yeah, that would cover it. Does it bother you?'

'Of course not.' She smiled.

'Do you want some wine, fiancée?'

'Do _not _call me that!' she shouted as he went to get some without waiting for an answer.

'Why not?' he said, coming back and handing her a glass of dry white wine. 'You _are _my fiancée.'

She glared at him, but he just held his glass up for a toast. She raised her glass and touched it to his.

'Cheers, Gerry,' Sandra said, radiating warmth and happiness.

'Cheers, Sandra,' Gerry replied. 'Cheers.'

* * *

THE END

* * *

**So this is the end of my story. I hope you enjoyed it and that you will leave me a last, much appreciated review! Stay tuned for more, though I can't promise when that will be. Thank you to everyone who made the writing of this story possible!**


End file.
